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THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN; 


OB, 


SCENES  IN  ANOTHER  WORLD, 


THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WORLD. 


BY 

GEORGE    WOOD, 

AUTHOB  OF  "  PETES  BOHLEMIHI.  m  AJUBICA,"  "  MOSKKK  FUABUfSi"  XTO. 


What  if  earth 
Be  but  the  shadow  of  heaven,  and  things  therein 
Each  to  other  like,  more  than  on  earth  is  thought? 

MTLTON,  p.  L.,  Book  V. 

Socrates,  before  drinking  the  cup  of  hemlock,  said  to  his  disciples, 
"  It  is  especially  suited  to  one  who  is  on  the  eve  of  departing  to  another 
world,  to  inquire  into  and  speculate  upon  his  migration  thither  —  of  what 
nature  we  suppose  it  to  be." 

SAHDFOED'8  PllSDO,  p.  8. 


BOSTON: 
LEE    AND     SHEPARD, 

149  Washington  Stkket. 

1869. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by 

GEORGE   WOOD, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Columbia. 


ADVEETISEMENT. 


An  edition  of  this  work,  entitled  "  Future  Life  ;  or, 
Scenes  in  Another  World,"  was  published  by  Derby 
and  Jackson  in  the  fall  of  1858.  The  firm  failed  in 
the  spring  of  1859,  and  the  plates  were  resold  to  the 
author,  and  have  remained  in  his  possession  unused 
until  the  present  time,  when  the  recent  popular  and 
attractive  book  of  Miss  Phelps,  entitled  "  The  Gates 
Ajar,"  suggested  its  republication  and  the  change  of 
title  which  is  now  made.  The  Author  hopes  his  readers 
will  be  gratified  witli  this  attempt  to  picture  the  Scenes 
and  Society  of  Another  World. 

Washington,  May  1,  1869. 

(V) 


:^49691 


TO    THE    READER. 


This  work  was  designed  by  the  Author  as  a  man- 
uscript tale  for  a  young  friend ;  but,  as  "  stories 
somehow  lengthen  as  they  run,"  and  being  pleased 
with  the  labor,  the  work  grew  under  his  hands,  and 
took  its  present  shape. 

All  our  ideas  of  the  future  must  be  formed  out  of 
the  present  life ;  nor  can  we  reach  outside  of  a 
physical  theory.  The  vehicles  of  thought  and  rep- 
resentations of  The  World  to  Come,  found  in  this 
volume,  are  the  same  which  have  been. adopted  by 
the  inspired  writers  of  the  Holy  Bible,  and  by 
Dante  and  Milton. 

Jeremy  Taylor,  speaking  of  a  poor  widow  who 
labored  hard  to  procure  the  means  of  subsistence, 
says,  "her  ideas  of  heaven  were  few  and  simple. 
She  rejected  the  doctrine  that  it  was  a  place  of  con- 
stant activity,  and  not  of  repose  ;  and  believed  that 
when  she  at  length  reached  it,  she  would  work  no 
more,  but  sit  in  a  clean  white  apron  and  sing  psalms." 

(vii) 


Vlll  TO    THE    HEADER. 

In  like  manner  we  all  have  our  own  ideas  of  heaven, 
which  have  been  forming  from  the  day-dawn  of 
existence,  and  result  from  a  combination  of  all  the 
varied  influences  that  have  ever  been  brought  to 
bear  upon  our  physical  as  well  as  our  spiritual 
nature. 

The  Author,  after  the  book  was  written,  in  order 
to  meet  objections  as  best  he  could,  sought  for 
passages  from  Dante  and  Milton  to  countenance  his 
imaginings,  assured  that  under  the  shelter  of  their 
great  names  he  would  be  safe  from  misconception 
and  censure.  The  eminent  English  essayist,  John 
Foster,  has  thus  given  his  judgment  of  such  an 
effort  as  this  :  "  I  am  very  far  from  disliking  philo- 
sophical speculation,  or  daring  flights  of  fancy  on 
this  high  subject.  On  the  contrary,  it  appears  to 
me  strange  that  any  one  firmly  holding  the  belief 
of  a  life  to  come  should  not  have  both  the  intellec- 
tual faculty  and  the  imagination  excited  to  the 
utmost  in  the  trial,  however  unavailing,  to  give 
some  outlines  of  definite  form  to  the  unseen  real- 
ities." And  Socrates,  addressing  those  by  whom 
he  had  been  condemned,  spoke  of  his  death  as  a 
departure  to  the  society  of  the  good  in  another 
world,  and  asked :  "If  this  be  true,  O  my  judges, 
what  greater  good  can  there  be  than  this  ?  At  what 
price  would  not  either  of  you  purchase  a  conference 


TO    THE    READER.  IX 


with  Orpheus  or  Musteus,  with  Hesiod  and  Homer? 
What  woukl  not  any  one  of  you  give  for  an  inter- 
view with  him  who  led  that  mighty  army  against 
Troy ;  or  with  Ulysses,  or  ten  thousand  of  others, 
both  male  and  female,  that  might  be  mentioned? 
For  to  converse  and  associate  with  them  would  be 
an  inestimable  felicity.  Truly  I  should  be  willing 
to  die  often,  if  these  things  be  true." 

In  a  work  of  the  Imagination,  which,  so  far  as 
his  knowledge  extends,  is  the  first  to  portray  after 
this  manner  the  possible  scenes  of  a  future  life,  the 
Author  may  not  hope  to  satisfy  his  readers  ;  yet,  if 
its  perusal  shall  be  suggestive,  and  if,  by  antago- 
nism even,  thoughts  in  their  souls  before  dormant, 
or  undefined  and  shadowy,  shall  become  operative 
ideas,  his  wishes  will  have  been  so  far  attained. 

Heaven  is  the  true  happiness  of  the  human  soul ; 
presenting  the  attractions  of  every  excellence  and 
tho" fruition  of  every  desire.  The  Author's  aim  has 
been  to  awaken  in  his  readers  new  aspirations  of 
hope  for  "the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God 
and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 


The  World  of  Art  and  Beauty — Its  Appearance  to  Beings  of  Earth  floating  in  ita 
Atmosphere — These  Observers  described^The  joj-ful  Greetings  of  Mrs.  Jay 
and  Peter  Schlemihl  in  upper  Air — Their  Colloquy — Peter  describes  his  Sickness 
and  Death — Of  the  City  of  God— Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  alight  near  a  Temple — 
Here  they  meet  with  Deacon  and  Mrs.  Colgate,  with  whom  they  go  to  the 
Mansion  of  the  Redeemed  and  spend  the  Night 16 

CHAPTER  II. 

Morning  Scenes— Deacon  Colgate's  Account  of  this  New  World — Colloquy  con- 
cerning this  World  in  contrast  with  Earth — Brealcfast — Servitors  described — 
Peter  receives  a  Message  from  his  Angel  to  hasten  to  the  Metropolis  to  hear  a 
new  Oratorio  by  Handel,  Haydn,  Mozart  and  Beethoven — The  Messenger 
tells  the  Story  of  his  Life   84 

CHAPTER   III. 

A  Day  spent  in  the  World  of  Art  and  Beauty — Of  the  new  St.  Peter's  built  by  Michael 
Angelo — Mrs.  Jay  and  her  friend  Peter  meet  with  their  neighbor,  Mr.  Laurens 
— The  new  Oratorio  by  Handel  is  performed,  aided  by  Haydn,  Mozart  and  Bee- 
thoven— Of  the  Language  and  Literature  of  the  World  of  Art — They  reach  the 
Happy  Valley — Trial  of  Skill  with  a  Mocking-bird — The  Enigmas  of  Faith  Dis- 
cussed—Laurens  introduces  his  friends  to  St.  Perpetua — They  attend  Vespers — 
The  Temple  and  Worship  described 49 


CHAPTER   IV. 

St.  Perpetua  sends  Persis  to  Mrs.  Jay  with  a  Message — Their  Conversation — The 
Idea  of  Married  Life  entertained  by  Persis  — Her  Admiration  of  Mrs.  Jay — 
Scenes  on  Silver  Lake— Mrs.  Jay  joins  Perpetua,  who  relates  the  Story  of  her 


XH  CONTENTS. 

Martyrdom  at  Carthage— Of  her  appearance  before  Hilarion — Scene  in  the 
Amphitheatre— Her  Companions  in  Martyrdom — Of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church— 
The  Similarity  of  Pagan  and  Papal  Religions  in  Social  Life — St.  Perpetua  and 
Mrs.  Jay  are  joined  by  Faustinus  and  Calliste,  just  returned  after  an  Absence 
of  fourteen  Centuries- — Their  Colloquy  with  Mrs.  Jay — Their  Surprise  at  hearing 
of  the  Discovery  of  a  "New  World" — Mrs.  Jay  describes  her  meeting  Satan, 
the  "Architect  of  Ruin" — Faustinus's  Account  of  the  New  World  whence  he 
has  returned— Puolic  Opinion  in  Rome,  a.d  330 — Roman  Society  of  the  Fourth 
Century— Calliste  tells  the  Story  of  her  Conversion  ;  her  Interviews  with  St.  Paul, 
of  her  Trials  and  Martyrdom 77 


CHAPTER   V. 

Faustinus  inquires  of  Mrs.  Jay  as  to  the  Progress  of  the  Gospel — Of  the  Last  Days 
of  the  World;  Views  of  the  Early  Ages  respecting  it;  Mrs.  Jay  gives  the  Views 
of  the  Present  Day — Perpetua  on  the  Progress  of  Christianity — On  the  Condition 
of  Women  in  the  Days  of  Nero — The  Law  of  the  Twelve  Tables -Examples  of 
the  Degradation  of  Women,  shown  in  the  Mother  of  Demosthenes  and  the  Wife 
of  M.  P.  Cato — Of  the  Law  of  Divorce  as  shown  by  Cicero  to  Terentia— Cal- 
liste tells  of  the  Condition  of  Roman  Children — Testimony  of  Tacitus — She  gives 
an  Account  of  Roman  Customs,  concerning  Marriage,  in  a  Gelation  of  her  own 
union  to  Faustinus 116 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Party  returns  to  the  Palace  Gardens — Scene— The  Festivity  of  the  Servitors — 
Their  Dances  described — Mrs.  Jay's  Colloquy  with  St.  Perpetua  about  Dancing 
— Miss  Mehitable  Smith  arrives— Her  Horror  at  the  Sights — Her  Angel's  con- 
trast between  the  Dancing  of  Earth  and  the  World  of  Beauty — Tibertius  gives 
a  Recitation  to  Mrs.  Jay  and  Perpetua  of  a  Sermon  Preached  in  the  Metropolis 
by  St.  John  Chrysostom  140 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Mrs.  Jay  rises  at  an  early  Hour — Her  Recollections  of  her  Infancy — She  ascends 
into  the  Air  and  seats  herself  on  a  Cloud — Her  Thoughts  of  God — Returns  to  the 
Palace  to  receive  a  Morning  Call  from  Perpetua  and  Calliste  in  her  own  Room 
— Their  Colloquy — Of  the  School  of  Eloquence — Why  there  are  ro  "  Strong- 
minded  Women  "  in  Heaven — Perpetua's  Opinion  of  Woman's  Rights — Of  Modern 
Fashions — Influence  of  the  Science  of  Phrenology  on  Beauty — Variety  of  dresses 
now  worn — Paint  not  now  used — Of  Diamonds — Modern  Invention  of  making 
Money  out  of  Paper — Of  the  Fashions  at  Carthage — -Advantage  of  an  Auto-da- 
F6 — Satirical  sayings  of  TertulUan — Of  Celibacy — .Asceticism — Monasticism — 
Rise  of  Nunneries— Character  of  Girls  educated  in  Convents — Of  the  Convents 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

of  the  United  States— Of  escaped  Nuns— Of  political  Parties  in  the  United 
States — The  Admiration  of  certain  Mothers  for  Nunneries  as  Seminaries  of 
Education — Perpetua  and  Mrs.  Jay  discuss  how  these  Prisons -of  the  Unhappy 
can  be  made  subject  to  Law 151 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

St.  Perpetua,  Calliste  and  Mrs.  Jay  rise  into  the  Air  and  sweep  over  the  Country 
alighting  to  visit  attractive  Pleasure  Grounds — Perpetua's  Remarks  on  English 
Manners— The  Villa  of  Anastasius — Frankie  Guilford  and  her  Music  Lesson — 
Her  Account  of  Herself  and  Studies — Emerentia  welcomes  our  Party  to  her 
Villa — The  Music  Hall— New  Music  by  Beethoven— Mrs.  Jay  sings  some  Airs, 
"  Native  "  to  good  Society  in  New  York— Their  Visit  to  the  Studio— Perpetua  and 
her  Party  remain  to  Supper— Conversation  at  the  Table— They  take  Leave  of 
the  Family  of  Anastasius — Evening  Scenes  at  the  Palace— Mrs.  Jay  contrasts  the 
Appearance  of  tlie  Saloons  with  a  Grand  Party  of  her  own — Mrs.  Jay's  Difference 
between  Ancient  and  Modern  Martyrdom— They  join  Sulpicius  Severus  and 
St.  Hedwiges— St.  Chrysostom's  Opinion  of  Modern  Monkery— Of  the  Origin  of 
Asceticism 183 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Feast  of  Fruits  and  Flowers — Mrs.  Jay  introduced  to  Dante  and  Beatrice — 
Perpetua  and  Mrs.  Jay  meet  Laurens  and  Peter  Schlemihl  on  the  Lawn — They 
are  joined  by  Faustinus  and  Calliste — Laurens  gives  an  Account  of  a  Meeting 
of  S<ivan^  in  a  Distant  World  for  the  Advancpment  of  Knowledge — Description 
of  the  Academy— They  go  to  the  Section  of  Metaphysicians — Peter  Schlemihl 
gives  an  Account  of  his  Experiences — Calliste  is  surprised  to  hear  Peter  speak 
of  his  Seven  Senses— Peter's  Explanation— Gives  his  Views  of  the  Discussions — 
Laurens  resumes  his  Narrative— Mrs.  Jay's  Story  of  a  Learned  Lady  of  the 
East— The  Search  for  the  Absolute — Sir  William  Hamilton  and  Plato  compared 
— The  Jews  had  no  Philosophy — Faustinus  gives  his  Views — Laurens  finishes  the 
Narrative  of  his  Visit — Perpetua  defends  the  Metaphysicians— They  go  to  the 
Temple  to  hear  Beethoven's  new  Anthem — The  Scene  described— St.  Cecilia  and 
Beethoven 204 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  Story  of  Angela,  the  Nun — Mishael,  the  Guardian  of  Angela,  leads  her 
to  the  Temple  of  the  Winds,  where  Perpetua  and  our  Friends  were  seated — 
Her  Appearance  described — While  Perpetua  takes  her  on  a  Walk  in  the  Gar- 
dens, Mishael,  at  the  request  of  Calliste,  tells  the  Story  of  her  Life — Angela 
having  completed  her  Education  at  Home,  is  taken  by  her  Mother  to  Paris, 
where  she  returns  the  Love  of  a  young  Nobleman — Her  Mother  gives  her 
Approval;  and  while  Count  Qratz  is  on  a  Visit  to  Vienna,  she  breaks  up  her 
Home  In  Paris,  and  returns  with  Angela — The    Count,  in   his   Despair,  takes  ihc 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

Vow  of  Celibacy  and  becomes  a  Priest — He  writes  her  a  Letter,  which  she 
receives  at  Home,  praying  her  to  become  a  Nun — Angela  takes  the  Veil — Her 
Decline  and  Death 229 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Life  at  the  Palace  described — An  Evening  Entertainment  at  the  Temple — A  Sunset 
described — The  Sabbath— The  Ritual  Service  of  the  Temple — A  Sermon  is 
preached  by  John  Howe,  once  Chaplain  to  Oliver  Cromwell — Mrs.  Jay  and 
Peter  meet  Mr.  Howe  in  the  Gardens — Their  Colloquy — The  Necessity  of  a 
Creed — Mr.  Howe  on  Conversion — Mrs.  Jay's  Account  of  the  State  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  the  United  States— Her  Notion  of  the  Work  of  the 
Ministry 262 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Visit  to  the  Studio  of  the  Metropolis — Controversy  between  two  Doctors,  an  AUo- 
pathist  and  Homeopathist,  as  to  their  several  Systems  and  Modes  of  Practice — 
Visit  to  the  Studio  of  a  young  Artist — Mrs.  Jay  makes  a  Discovery — Peter  meets 
Lucia  sitting  on  a  Cloud— Their  Colloquy — Of  the  recent  Meeting  of  Savans  in 
Montreal  for  the  Advancement  of  Science — Lucia  tells  the  Story  of  her  Life — Of 
her  Interview  with  Lady  Alice  De  Vere,  just  from  St.  Barnabas,  in  Pimlico — Story 
of  a  Roman  Saint 274 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Mrs.  Jay  is  recalled  to  Earth  by  Flavianus,  her  Angel,  to  be  present  at  the  Mar- 
riage of  her  Daughter — She  is  accompanied  by  Faustinus  and  Calliste,  Peter 
and  her  Son— Sights  seen  on  the  Journey — The  Records  of  Eternity — A  World 
on  Fire — On  reaching  the  Milky-way  they  have  a  Vision  of  Paradise  before  the 
Creation  of  Adam— Scenes  passing  before  them  to  the  Ascension  of  Christ — 
Flavianus  explains  how  the  Air  holds  a  Record  of  all  Events  from  the  beginning 
of  Creation — They  alight  at  the  Home  of  Mrs.  Jay 29T 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

The  Wedding  Party  at  Mr.  Jay's— The  Marriage  Guests  enter — Miss  Judith  Grey — 
Mrs.  Fairfield — Mrs.  George  Thomson — Mrs.  Thomson's  Critique  on  "  Old 
Masters  " — Mrs.  Gen.  Wentworth  and  Mrs.  Thomson  discuss  the  late  Mrs.  Jay — 
Colloquy  between  Mrs.  Thomson,  Mrs.  Butler,  and  Mrs.  Griswold,  as  to  the 
presence  of  the  Departed — Mrs.  Thomson's  Opinion  of  the  World  she  lives  in — The 
Story  of  a  Night — Mrs.  Howard  and  Miss  Fairfield — Mrs.  Jay  takes  leave  of  her 
Husband  and  Daughter — Peter  remains  behind — Discovers  the  Curtains  of  an 
Upper  Room  on  Fire — Fails  to  arouse  Mr.  Jay — He  rushes  into  the  Ball-room 
and  shouts.  Fire  ! 320 

Appendix 847 


THE    GATES    WIDE    OPEN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  World  of  Art  and  Beauty — ^Its  Appearance  to  Beings  of  Earth  floating  in  ita 
Atmosphere — These  Observers  described — The  joyful  Greetings  of  Mrs.  Jay 
and  Peter  Schlemihl  in  upper  Air — Their  Colloquy — Peter  describes  his  Siclcness 
and  Death — Of  the  City  of  God — Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  alight  near  a  Temple — 
Here  they  meet  with  Deacon  and  Mrs.  Goodman,  with  whom  they  go  to  the 
Mansion  of  the  Redeemed  and  spend  the  Night. 

It  was  at  the  close  of  a  summer's  day,,  that  a  female 
form,  arrayed  in  robes  of  light,  floated  in  the  atmosphere 
of  a  world  of  loveliness  and  grandeur.  Upon  her  beauti- 
ful brow  shone  the  halo  of  umnortality,  whose  pure  rays 
resembled  the  scintillations  of  stars.  Her  robes  and 
vesture 


-"  Sky  robes  spun  of  Iris'  woof," 


were  classic  in  their  fashion,  and  fastened  around  the 
waist  by  a  girdle  studded  with  gems  of  rare  brilliancy. 
Her  eyes  were  lit  with  intense  delight  as  she  gazed  long 
and  aMently  upon  the  varied  landscape  mapped  out 
beneath  her. 

16 


16  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

On  this  globe  were  vast  continents,  with  mighty  moun- 
tain chains,  and  oceans  gemmed  with  islands,  whose 
peaks  were  lifted  high  above  the  clouds.  All  around 
were  scenes  of  rarest  combinations  of  luxuriance  and 
loveliness.  Cities  of  vast  size  were  seen,  whose  domes 
rose  like  gold  and  silver-capped  clouds. 

Sweeping  above  the  earth,  like  an  eagle  on  wings  of 
even  poise,  did  this  shining  one  circle  over  the  plains 
below.  And  while  thus  occupied  and  absorbed,  angel 
forms  from  the  empyrean,  appeared  in  the  distance,  with 
the  suddenness  of  falling  stars.  Arrested  by  the  vision 
of  beauty,  with  a  swoop  high  in  air,  they  staid  their 
flight,  and  floated  amid  the  clouds. 

This  squadron  of  angels,  descending,  left  one  of  their 
nimiber  above.  He,  too,  bore  the  flame  of  the  Re- 
deemed, shining  like  the  morning  star  over  his  fore- 
head. By  a  law  of  sympathy,  as  undefined  in  heaven 
as  on  earth,  these  two  shining  ones  drew  nearer  and 
nearer,  until,  in  immediate  proximity,  they  awoke  to  the 
consciousness  of  each  other's  presence.  After  graceful 
salutations,  as  befits  the  courtesies  of  all  worlds,  the  man, 
for  such  he  was,  addressed  the  woman  thus :  "  Fair  sis- 
ter, are  you,  like  myself,  a  stranger  here  ?" 

She  replied,  "I  am,  and  have  but  just  reached  this 
beautiful  world.  Can  you  tell  me  anything  of  its 
history  ?" 

"  My  companions  in  travel,  who  have  just  leftwne,  tell 
me  that  this  world  is  one  of  the  centres  of  the  Fine 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WOELD.  17 

Arts,  to  which  many  of  the  redeemed  of  eaith  are  sent 
to  be  initialed  into  the  love  of  Music  and  the  Arts  of 
Design." 

"  I  am  most  happy  to  know  this.  I  have  never  heard 
of  such  a  world,  but  as  God,  our  Creator,  is  the  author 
of  Beauty,  I  knew  he  must  sympathize  with  the  feeblest 
efibrts  of  his  children,  in  whatever  scale  of  existence, 
and  however  rude  their  attempt  to  realize  the  Ideal."  * 

As  the  woman  spoke,  there  was  a  flash  of  mutual 
recognition,  and  with  a  burst  of  joy  the  friendships  of 
earth  were  now  renewed,  f 

All  that  the  reader  need  know  of  the  lives  on  earth  of 
these  persons,  thus  introduced  to  his  acquamtance,  is 
told  m  a  few  words.  Mrs.  Anna  Jay  had  been  the  "wife 
of  an  eminent  citizen  of  New  York,  still  living  in  that 
city,  with  his  only  child.  Miss  Augusta  Jay,  now  a  young 
lady :  and  the  male  spirit  was  none  other  than  Mr.  Peter 

*  Plato,  in  his  book  "  Against  the  Atheists,"  which  is  the  "  10th  Book  of  Laws,' 
with  wonderful  acumen  makes  an  argument  a  priori,  derived  from  inward  con- 
sciousness, in  which  he  demonstrates  that  the  Supreme  Being  is  the  God  of  beauty 
and  love.    His  words  are  "  God  is  Beauty  and  Love  itself." 

t  Recoonition  of  Friends  in  Hravbn. — Baxter  says,  "I  must  confess,  as  the  ex- 
perience of  my  own  soul,  that  the  expectation  of  loving  my  friends  In  heaven 
principally  kindles  my  love  to  them  on  earth.  If  I  thought  I  should  never  know, 
and  consequently  never  love  them  after  this  life,  I  should  number  them  with  tem 
poral  things,  and  love  them  as  such ;  but  I  now  delightfully  converse  with  my 
pious  friends,  in  a  firm  persuasion  that  I  shall  converse  with  them  forever;  and  I 
take  comfort  in  those  that  are  dead  or  absent,  believing  that  I  shall  shortly  meet 
them  in  heaven,  and  love  them  with  a  heavenly  love." 


18  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

Schlemihl,  whose  adventures  in  this  country  are  well 
known  to  the  readers  of  his  book,  entitled  "  Peter  Schle- 
mihl in  America." 

After  the  surprise  of  this  unexpected  meeting  was 
over,  Mrs.  Jay  proposed  that  they  should  alight,  saying, 
"  I  have  a  thousand  questions  to  ask  you." 

Leading  the  way,  Mrs.  Jay  descended  gently  down 
the  skies  to  where  a  beautiful  little  Doric  edifice  stood 
on  a  shaft  of  granite,  which  rose  out  of  the  centre  of 
a  lake,  the  shores  of  which  lay  about  a  mUe  distant. 
These  were  covered  with  villas  whose  velvety  green 
ornamental  grounds  ran  down  to  the  water.  In  front 
of  them,  and  standing  upon  a  bold  rocky  bank,  rose  a 
magnificent  temple,  whose  golden  spires  and  lofty  dome 
were  reflected  in  long  lines  of  light  upon  the  glassy  sur- 
face of  the  lake,  with  all  the  gorgeous  clouds  of  a 
summer's  eve,  lit  up  by  the  great  setting  flame.  Here 
as  they  sat  admiring  the  scene  before  them,  Peter  thus 
addressed  his  companion : 

"How  unspeakably  happy  I  am,  Mrs.  Jay,  to  meet 
you  here  in  these  realms  of  life  and  immortality; 
'  redeemed,  regenerated,  disenthralled !' " 

Mrs.  Jay,  with  her  eyes  lifted  to  heaven,  replied: 
"  Free,  Peter !  yes,  my  soul,  complete  in  the  circle  of  its 
powers,  has  but  one  aspiration,  to  be  God-like."  Reco- 
vering herself,  she  continued :  "  Now,  Peter,  teE  me  of 
your  escape  out  of  the  body  ?" 

Peter  replied :  "  Dying  was  to  me,  Mrs,  Jay,  as  it  is 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  19 

to  most  men,  a  matter  of  painful  apprehension.  Not 
only  because  of  '  the  pains,  the  groans  and  dying  strife,' 
but  most  of  all,  lest,  after  all,  I  should  find  myself  self- 
deceived,  and  forever  lost.  It  was  on  Friday  night, 
now  six  weeks  since,  that  I  went  to  bed  with  a  chill.  I 
had  spent  the  evening  at  your  house  with  your  husband 
and  Augusta,  and  not  feeling  well,  I  left  at  an  early 
hour.  That  night  I  had  a  hot  fever,  and  the  strangest 
of  dreams.  In  the  morning,  my  excellent  friend,  Dr. 
Hall,  came  up  to  see  me,  and  prescribed.  My  fever 
raged  with  violence  for  five  days,  and  I  began  to  realize 
the  possibility  that  this  was  to  be  my  last  sickness,  and 
that  soon  I  should  stand  before  God.  Satan  was  near 
me  to  accuse  me,  and  I  was  made  to  look  down  into 
the  immeasurable  abyss  of  my  depravity.  Such  was 
the  activity  of  my  soul,  that  the  retrospection  of 
my  life  now  is  not  more  vivid  than  it  was  at  that 
time.  My  reply  to  all  these  accusations  of  conscience 
was  this:  I  repeated  all  the  exceeding  great  and  pre- 
cious promises  of  the  word  of  God,  and  all  the  verses 
of  hymns  I  could  recall,  and  these  flowed  into  my  soul 
with  such  sweetness  that  I  was  kejjt,  for  the  most  part, 
in  perfect  peace.  I  say  for  the  most  part,  for  there  wei'e 
moments  when  my  sins  rose  like  mountain  waves, 
impending  over  me.  I  knew  I  was  wading  through  the 
Jordan,  and  though  the  waters  rose  very  high,  I  was 
assured  of  my  safety;  so  that  when  the  anxieties  of 
those  around  me  increased,  mine  had  all  ceased.     I  was 


20  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

perfectly  passive,  suffered  little,  and  was  only  sorry 
to  see  those  about  me  in  tears.  The  ninth  day,  and 
it  was  the  Lord's  day,  about  noon,  I  was  aware  of 
those  around  me  expressmg  a  wish  for  me  to  give  them 
some  token  of  my  consciousness.  I  felt  the  pressure  of 
their  hands,  but  could  not  return  it.  My  soul  was  now 
bathed  in  perfect  repose,  when,  my  sight  failing,  I  saw 
but  dimly  those  near  me,  and  became  conscious  of 
the  presence  of  my  guardian  angel.  'Give  me,'  said 
Augusta,  'one  last  pressure;'  I  did  so,  and  then  sunk 
away  into  a  blissful  sleep.  From  this  I  woke,  and  found 
myself  clad  in  the  robes  of  immortality,  the  morning 
star  shining  above  my  forehead. 

"  I  lingered  awhile,  anxious  to  manifest  myself  to  those 
who  stood  around  my  bed  weeping.  It  was  all  in  vain  that 
I  spoke  to  them ;  and  thus  I  grew  iato  the  full  conscious- 
ness of  my  separate  existence.  '  Let  us  depart,'  said  my 
ansrel :  and  with  the  last  emotion  of  sorrow  I  shall  ever 
know,  I  found  myself  rising  into  the  heavens,  and  soon 
Sims  and  stars  fled  by  me  with  the  rapidity  of  meteors, 
as  we  mounted  upwards  on  our  way  to  the  Holy  City, 
there  to  be  presented  to  our  great  Redeemer  as  a  new 
trophy  of  his  victory.  The  rapture  of  that  glad  hour 
I  have  no  words  to  express,  and  happily  you  need  none. 
It  was  to  me,  and  ever  will  be,  a  glory  unutterable. 
After  my  audience  with  our  great  God  and  Saviour,  I 
was  sent  by  him,  under  the  conduct  of  my  guardian, 
to  this  world,  here  to  begin  my  studies.     By  permission 


SCENES    IX   ANOTHER    WORLD.  21 

of  my  angel,  I  have  remained  above  to  witness  the 
beauty  of  the  landscape,  and,  to  my  great  joy,  I  have 
met  you." 

"  Were  you  not  surprised,  Peter,  to  find  in  the  Holy 
City  no  Scripture  personages,  and  no  one  of  whom  you 
had  read  in  the  history  of  the  church  ?" 

"I  was  greatly  surprised.  I  inquired  for  them, 
especially  for  the  apostle  Paul,  but  was  told  by  my 
angel  that  they  had  all  long  since  been  made  meet  for 
the  high  service  of  messengers  of  the  grace  of  God,  and 
were  now  telling  the  tidings  of  the  redemption  of  a 
lost  race  by  the  suiferings  and  death  of  Christ.  He  told 
me  this  was  the  last  attainment  of  a  glorified  soul :  that, 
in  order  to  this,  after  long  practice  in  the  schools  of 
eloquence,  the  languages  as  well  as  the  sciences  of  the 
world  to  which  the  missionary  is  sent  were  to  be  ac- 
quired ;  and  then  it  demands  the  greatest  possible  range 
of  illustration  to  make  sinless  beings  comprehend  the 
mysteries  of  the  renewal  and  sanctification  of  a  lost 
soul." 

"  And  what  was  the  newest  of  your  joys,  Peter,  after 
you  were  clothed  upon  \vith  immortality  ?" 

"  It  was  the  absence  of  sin — no  more  sin !  A  soul 
saved  I  knew  must  be  happy,  but  the  manner  in  which 
happiness  came  was  new  to  me.  The  great  unappreciated 
weight  of  sin,  Avhich,  like  our  earth's  atmosphere,  once 
weighed  me  down,  was  now  no  more.  And  then,  such 
was  my  joy  in  the  exercise  of  my  new-found  faculties  of 


22  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

knowing  and  loving.  Gladly  did  I  task  my  angel  into 
the  development  of  my  soul's  energies,  and  yet  I  was 
surprised  to  find  myself,  though  disembodied,  and  after 
so  great  a  change,  so  little  changed.  And  this  thought 
was  present  to  me,  when  I  felt  in  my  soul  the  conscious- 
ness of  power  to  wing  my  flight  to  the  very  verge  of 
creation,  if  such  there  be.  But  it  was  not  long  before 
I  found  myself,  as  on  earth,  a  child  of  limited  powers 
and  in  the  infancy  of  my  being.  I  had  everything  to 
learn,  and  could  not  reach  my  longings  any  more  than 
an  infant  who  cries  for  the  moon ;  but  then  I  was  docile, 
and  made  the  glad  discovery  that  I  had  now  none  of 
the  repinings  of  earth  clinging  to  me."  * 

*  The  Author  respectfully  requests  the  attention  of  his  readers  to  this  note. 
Archbishop  Whately,  in  hia  recent  work  on  "  A  Future  State,"  presents  these 
views :  "  Vast  as  must  be  the  difference,  in  many  respects,  between  the  glorified 
condition  of  the  saints,  and  everything  they  have  experienced  here,  yet  I  doubt 
whether  there  may  not  be  more  resemblance  between  the  two  states — the  earthly 
and  the  heavenly— than  some  suppose.  Sins  and  infirmities  will  of  course  be 
excluded  from  that  better  world ;  the  enjoyments  and  perfections  of  sincere  Christ- 
ians will  be  immensely  heightened;  but  if  we  look  on  the  highest  and  puiest 
spots  of  human  nature  and  human  life,  as  it  is  here,  we  may  be  led  to  form,  I 
think,  no  unreasonable  conjectures  as  to  some  things  that  will  be  hereafter.  For, 
we  should  remember,  that  both  worlds  are  the  work  of  the  same  Author— this 
present  world  of  trial,  and  the  eternal  world, — 'the  new  heavens  and  the  new 
earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.'  All  that  is  suitable  to  this  world  alone  will 
be  removed  from  that  other,  what  is  evil  will  be  taken  away,  what  is  Imperfect  will 
be  made  complete,  what  is  good  will  be  extended  and  exalted ;  but  there  is  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  any  further  change  will  be  made  than  is  necessary  tl> 
qualify  the  faithful  for  that  improved  state,  that  their  human  character  will  be 
altered  any  further  than  it  wants  altering,  and  its  dispositions  and  whole  con- 
stitution unnecessarily  reversed."— Zectera  X  "  Occupations  and  State  of 
Society  of  tfie  Blest,"  p.  20. 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.      •  23 

"  One  of  the  glad  surprises  which  filled  me  with  joy," 
said  Mrs.  Jay,  "  was  my  recollection  of  aU  I  had  ever 
thought,  or  said,  or  did.  I  had  read  of  a  French  meta- 
physician who  says,  '  a  thought  is  more  substantive  than 
a  post,'  and  in  studying  mental  philosophy  I  had  learned 
that  thoughts  were  eternal,  but  the  recovery  of  all  these 
at  wiU  has  filled  me  with  dehght.  And  now  your  pre- 
sence brings  back  to  me  all  we  have  said  and  done  from 
our  first  acquaintance;  but  after  aU,  I  cannot  ask  you 
a  thousand  questions  at  once,  and  I  find  I  am,  as  you 
have  just  now  suggested,  still  the  subject  of  time  and 
space." 

And  while  they  thus  sat  conversing  the  sim  of  that 
world  was  making  a  golden  set,  and  distant  songs  of  praise 
fiom  a  multitude  of  voices  were  borne  by  the  evening 
breeze  over  the  surface  of  the  lake,  from  out  of  the  ca- 
thedral, and  with  such  a  flood  of  hannony  as  at  once 
arrested  the  attention  of  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter.  The  last 
note  was  hushed,  when  the  hymn  to  the  Trinity  came  to 
them  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  and  reverently  rising, 
they  joined  in  the  song  of  saints  and  angels. 

"  Let  us  go  down  to  meet  these  children  of  the  high- 
est," said  Mrs.  Jay ;  for  now  the  multitude  of  worship- 
pers were  seen  thronging  out,  and  returning,  in  family 
groups  to  their  villas.  By  a  volition  they  alighted  on 
the  greensward  in  front  of  the  temple,  and  stood  aside, 
to  see  these  new-found  creatures  of  their  Heavenly 
Father,  who,  in  passing,  saluted  them  with  the  profound 


24  •       THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

deference  due  to  their  superior  race.  Last  of  all,  tlioio 
came  thronging  out  of  the  temple  a  bevy  of  youth  of 
both  sexes,  wearing  the  halo  of  the  redeemed,  who  were 
crowding  playfully  around  two  mature  persons  who 
seemed  to  promote  the  amusement  of  these  happy 
beings.  There  was  a  gracious  smile  on  the  handsome  face 
of  the  man,  whose  merry  sayings  provoked  the  mirth  of 
the  group,  while  his  wife  (as  they  supposed  her  to  be) 
looked  around  with  a  pleased  aii',  the  very  type  of  good- 
ness and  gentleness.  It  reminded  Mrs,  Jay  of  the  play- 
fulness of  boys  and  girls  around  beloved  teachers. 

As  these  drew  near,  Peter,  to  his  great  joy,  discovered 
in  these  seniors,  his  well  beloved  friends.  Deacon  and 
Mrs.  Colgate.  With  extended  arms  he  advanced 
towards  them,  and  they,  recognizing  him,  came  towards 
him  with  glad  expressions  of  delight.  This  over,  Mrs. 
Jay  was  presented  and  then  the  deacon  called  his  son 
Thomas,  and  after  him  the  whole  school  came  forward 
and  were  introduced.  The  young  folks  then  left  them 
to  enjoy  their  sports  on  the  green,  and  on  the  lake.  "Do 
you  not  wish  me  to  tell  you  whose  these  are  ?"  said  the 
deacon  as  they  stood  looking,  watching  their  antics  and 
frolics. 

"  Certainly,  Deacon  Colgate,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  These  all  died  in  childhood  or  infancy,  and  they  have 
been  sent  here  to  be  trained  into  the  science  of  music. 
They  are  the  choristers  of  this  great  cathedral  as  we 
should  call  it  on  earth,  while  they  pursue  their  various 


SCENES    m  ANOTUEK   WORLD.  25 

studies  in  the  academy  whose  dome  you  see  yonder," 
pointing  to  it  in  the  distance. 

"Come,"  said  the  deacon,  "let  us  have  the  pleasure 
of  your  company  for  the  night.  I  have  many  inquiries 
to  make  of  our  world,  and  here  we  have  homes  as  wide 
and  spacious  as  our  hearts. " 

"  You  have  always  had  such  a  home,  deacon,"  said 
Peter. 

"Let  us  lead  the  way,  Mrs.  Jay,"  said  the  deacon, 
offering  his  arm;  and  Mrs.  Colgate  and  Peter  followed 
after. 

The  Palace  of  the  Redeemed  stood  on  a  gentle  slope 
of  land  bordering  on  the  lake.  The  grounds  were  beau- 
tifully laid  out  and  were  adorned  with  statues,  which, 
seen  m  the  shadows  of  tA\dlight  amid  the  shrubbery  of 
the  garden,  were  often  mistaken  for  living  beings  of  sur- 
passing grace  and  beauty.  The  building  stood  in  the 
centre  of  the  grounds,  and  rose  before  them  a  splendid 
palace.  There  was  a  lofty  pillared  porch  over  the  grand 
entrance,  and,  having  ascended  its  marble  steps,  they 
entered  a  vestibule  so  beautiful  in  its  adornments,  as  to 
make  them  pause  and  look  up  and  around  in  wondering 
amazement.  The  frescoes  were  to  their  eyes  living  real- 
ities, and  when  they  entered  the  spacious  saloon  they 
found  themselves  sm-rounded  with  works  of  art,  the  ceil- 
ings covered  with  forms  of  loveliness,  and  the  walls  hung 
with  paintings  which  riveted  the  attention  of  beholders 
tjo  newly  arrived  as  were  both  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter. 
2 


26  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

They  were  permitted  to  indulge  their  admiration  to 
the  full,  when  the  deacon,  addressing  Mrs.  Jay,  said,  "  I 
see,  madam,  you  love  art.  That  is  somethmg  I  have 
now  to  acquire,  and  I  am  taking  my  first  lessons  in  draw- 
ing. In  the  utilitarian  world  in  which,  when  a  boy,  I 
lived.  Art  was  not  regarded  with  much  favor.  Indeed, 
an  artist,  whether  in  music,  painting  or  sculpture,  was 
considered  as  a  worthless  fellow  who  wanted  to  live 
without  labor.  All  we  desired  then  was  just  enough  of 
music  to  turn  a  tune,  and  of  painting,  to  make  a  por- 
trait, where  every  feature  was  caricatured  into  what  is 
called  "a  strikmg  likeness."  And  as  for  sculpture,  all 
we  asked  was  a  carver  to  make  figure-heads  for  our  ships, 
or  gravestones  with  horrid  cherubs,  to  mark  the  place 
where  our  dead  lay  buried.  But  a  great  change  had 
been  efiected,  and  at  the  end  of  the  first  half  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  I  was  fearful  we  were  getting  on  too  fast 
with  our  love  of  art,  and  spending  money  on  works  of 
taste  which  ought  to  have  been  devoted  to  works  of 
benevolence  and  the  cause  of  missions." 

" '  Offences  must  needs  come,'  deacon,"  replied  Mrs. 
Jay.  "  Man,  sinful  as  he  is,  will  never  do  anything  as  it 
ought  to  be  done.  Perfect  symmetry  of  life  and  action 
is  not  of  earth  but  heaven.  For  myself,  I  always  loved 
art,  for  I  felt  that  next  to  Holiness,  God  must  love 
Beauty.  I  use  the  language  of  earth  in  so  speaking,  for 
in  the  mind  of  God  there  are  no  sequences." 

"  You  wiU  have  your  longings  fully  met  hi  this,  God's 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WOKLD.  27 

world  of  art  and  beauty,"  said  Mrs.  Colgate,  "for  here, 
Mrs.  Jay,  the  struggle  is  to  reacli  to  the  fiiU  comprehen- 
sion of  what  meets  the  eye  wherever  it  rests,  whether 
in  the  creations  of  God,  or  of  his  creatures. 

"  Let  us  now  take  a  survey  of  our  home  here,"  said 
this  good  woman ;  which  they  did  under  her  guidance 
and  the  deacon's.  The  grandeur  of  the  saloons  and  halls, 
and  the  splendor  of  the  furniture,  and  beauty  of  the 
drapery,  all  were  subjects  of  Mrs.  Jay's  especial  admira- 
tion. 

When  they  had  walked  through  the  saloons,  return- 
ing, they  took  seats  at  mndows  opening  upon  the  lake, 
where  they  saw  many  gilded  skiffs  gliding  along  under 
the  guidance  of  the  children  of  the  palace.  Some  were 
running  boat  races,  striving  for  the  goal,  and  followed 
by  many  as  lookers-on ;  and  others  were  playing  along 
the  banks.  While  they  sat  gazing  on  the  sj^orts  of  these 
shining  ones, -the  deacon  asked  many  questions  conceni- 
ing  his  children  and  the  city,  and  finally,  as  to  the  state 
of  political  parties.  He  asked  after  the  progress  of 
liberty,  and  was  happy  to  be  informed  that  every 
advance  was  in  favor  of  freedom. 

"  I  doubt  not  it  is  so,"  said  the  deacon.  "  The  Gospel 
of  our  great  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  leavening 
the  whole  lump,  but  how  slowly.  It  seems  to  me  the 
advance  of  Christianity  and  civilization  (and  these  I 
regard  as  identical),  is  like  the  swaying  of  a  pendulum, 
first  one  way  and  then   another;  but  there  is  a  rack 


28  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

movement  high  over  all,  heyond  the  control  of  rulers, 
whether  kmgs  or  congressmen,  which  carries  the  world 
forward."  And  pausing  a  moment,  the  deacon,  with 
one  of  his  merry  smiles,  continued,  "  I  think,  Peter,  the 
world  every  now  and  then  makes  a  sudden  lurch,  and 
the  advance  of  a  generation  seems  lost ;  but  it  is  not  so, 
for  the  world's  history  shows  that  the  subversion  of  the 
eternal  laws  of  God  and  humanity,  are  overruled  for  the 
advance  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  for  which  alone,  my 
fi'iends,  the  world  is  kept  in  being." 

"All  you  say  is  true,  Deacon  Colgate,"  said  Mrs. 
Jay,  "  but  you  would  not  preach  the  doctrine  of  submis- 
sion to  evil-doers  if  you  were  on  earth," 

"  By  no  means.  Let  every  man  be  zealously  affected 
in  a  good  cause,  and  if,  by  mistake,  good  men  even  knock 
each  other's  heads  off,  it  only  hastens  them  in  their  pil- 
grimage to  the  celestial  city."  This  unexpected  turn 
given  by  the  deacon  to  the  discourse  was  followed  by 
one  of  his  merry  laughs  that  shed  its  sunshine,  as  they 
were  wont  to  do,  over  the  circle  about  him.  It  was 
beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  Peter,  to  see  these  dear  friends 
once  more,  and  to  hear  the  wise  sayings  of  the  good 
deacon,  and  to  enjoy  his  grave,  genial  and  becoming 
mirth,  illustrated  and  heightened  by  the  silvery  laugh 
of  Mrs.  Jay. 

At  this  point  of  their  discussion,  supper  was  an- 
nomiced,  and  the  deacon  led  Mrs.  Jay,  Peter  and  Mrs. 
Colgate    following,   across  the  central  hall  into  a  spa- 


SCENES   IN    ANOTUER   WOULD.  29 

cious  saloon,  where  they  fouiid  a  hundred  youth  or  more 
assembled,  and  the  table  covered  with  a  service  of  gold 
of  exquisite  workmanship,  and  vases  filled  with  fruits 
and  flowers;  grapes  just  gathered,  and  fruits  of  various 
hues,  before  imseen.  The  "  Gloria  "  having  been  simg, 
they  seated  themselves.  A  lovely  girl  of  fifteen,  whose 
lustrous  eyes  bespoke  her  origin  in  eastern  lands,  sat 
next  Peter,  and  made  herself  agreeable  to  him,  help- 
ing hun  to  select  the  fruits  to  be  eaten,  and  replying  to 
all  his  inquiries. 

"  Have  the  Fellahs  of  Egypt  yet  awakened  the  sympa- 
thy of  the  European  churches  ?"  asked  the  girl ;  to  Avhich 
Peter  replied  he  had  not  heard  of  any  such  missions. 

"  Pray  teU  me,"  asked  Peter,  "  are  you  from  Egypt  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  was  born  at  Philoe,  and  was  thro^^oi  to  the 
crocodiles.  I  was  born  but  to  be  born  again  unto  the  king- 
dom of  heaven ;  and  after  having  received  the  blessing 
of  our  God  and  Saviour,  I  was  brought  here  by  my  angel 
to  be  educated.  See  that  girl  conversing  opposite ;  she 
was  born  m  Hmdostan,  and  was  exposed  to  vultures ;  and 
you  see  here  representatives  of  all  lands." 

"Are  there  many  such  homes  for  infants  in  this 
world  ?" 

"O,  yes,  we  are  scattered  everywhere;  not  only  in 
this  world,  but  in  other  worlds  of  Art  and  Beauty,  of 
which  there  is  an  inconceivable  number." 

The  scene  was  one  of  singular  interest  to  Peter,  as  he 
sat  looking  up  and  doAvn  the  table  and  saw  this  lovely 


30  THE  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

company,  all  arrayed  in  robes  of  light  and  wearing  the 
halo  of  inunortality,  feasting  with  playfulness  and  joy  on 
fruits  which  might  have  satisfied  the  palate  of  Raphael, 
the  angel  of  God,  in  Paradise.* 

On  rising  from  the  table,  as  the  evening  was  advanced, 

the  deacon  proposed  to  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter,  to  go  out 

and  see  the  starry  heavens.     They  did  so,  and  looking  up 

were  filled  Avith  admii'ation  and  awe.     There  was  a  broad 

'  belt  of  light  circling  the  heavens  which  reflected  the  sun's 

*  Lest  some  of  his  readers  may  deem  this  as  "of  the  earth  earthy,"  the  author 
deems  it  wise  to  call  on  Blilton  to  give  him  his  aid  and  countenance.  In  the  Para- 
dise Lost,  book  v.,  we  read  of  Raphael's  visit  to  Adam  and  Eve  in  Paradise. 
Raphael  being  invited  to  the  banquet  prepared  by  Eve,  Adam  apologizes  for  its 
quality,  saying : 

"  '  unsavory  food,  perhaps, 

To  spiritual  natures." 

To  whom  the  angel :  '  Therefore  what  he  gives 
(Whose  praise  be  ever  sung)  to  man  in  part 
Spiritual,  may  of  purest  spirits  be  found 
No  ingrateful  food:  and  food  alike  those  puri 
IntelUgential  substances  require, 
Aa  doth  your  rational ;  and  both  contain 
Within  them  every  lower  faculty 
Of  sense,  whereby  they  hear,  see,  smell,  touch,  taste, 
Tasting  concoct,  digest,  assimilate, 
And  corporeal  to  incorporeal  turn.'  " 
After  further  discourse,  Raphael,  speaking  of  heavenly  fruits,  tells  Adam: 

"  '  Yet  God  hath  here 
Varied  his  bounty  so  with  new  delights 
As  may  compare  with  heaven ;  and  to  taste 
Think  not  I  shall  be  nice.'    So  down  they  sat 
And  to  the  viands  fell ;  nor  seemingly 
The  angel,  nor  in  mist,  the  common  gloss 


SCENES   IN    ANOTHER    WOKLD.  31 

rays,  and  four  moons  were  visible,  oue  at  the  full  over 
head,  another  just  emerging  from  behind  the  ring,  and  two 
others  showing  the  cusp  of  a  coming  and  of  a  waning 
moon.  These,  and  stars  which  hung  down  from  the  dark 
depths  of  the  sky  like  buming  lamps,  forming  glorious 
constellations,  filled  the  souls  of  our  travellers  with  ador- 
ing rapture. 

They  remained  in  the  open  air,  walking  along  the 
shores  of  the  lake,  accompanied  by  deacon  and  Mrs. 
Colgate  and  the  Egyptian  girl,  who  held  the  hand  of 
Peter,  and  described  to  him  the  cosmography  of  this  sys- 
tem of  worlds  with  which  she  was  fixmiliar  from  having 
personally  visited  every  planet  and  every  moon  in  sight; 
and  this  she  did  in  the  most  pleasing  manner  conceivable. 

The  chimes  of  the  cathedi'al  reminded  them  of  their 
hour  of  worship  and  rest.  Returning  skiffs  freighted 
with  shining  ones  Avere  seen  now  hastening  to  land,  and 
soon  this  Community  of  Love  Avere  assembled  in  the  grand 
hall,  as  it  was  called  by  preeminence,  when  the  choir 

Of  theologians ;  but  with  keen  dispatch 

Of  real  hunger 

Meanwhile  at  table  Eve 

Minister'd  naked,  and  their  flowing  cups 
With  pleasant  liquors  crowned." — Line  445. 

In  Gen.  xviii.  we  read  of  a  visit  made  by  the  angel  Jehovah  and  two  attend- 
ant angels  to  Abraham.  It  is  written— "Abraham  ran  unto  the  herd,  and  fecht  a 
calf,  tender  and  good,  and  gave  it  unto  a  young  man  ;  and  he  hasted  to  dress  it. 
And  he  took  butter  and  milk,  and  the  calf  which  he  had  dressed,  and  set  it  before 
them  ;  and  fhey  did  eat." 


32  THE  GATES  WIDE  OrEN;  OR, 

with  one  consent  began  their  song  of  praise.  This  ser- 
vice ended,  with  graceful  adieus,  they  separated.  The 
deacon  consigned  Mrs.  Jay  to  liis  wife,  and  Peter  to  his 
son,  to  be  conducted  to  their  several  apartments.* 

Peter  was  again  surprised  at  the  beauty  of  his  chamber, 
and  its  furniture.  Tlie  couch  was  of  classic  form  and  the 
filmy  curtams  were  held  up  by  cherubs  wrought  in  gold, 
whose  faces  were  beautiful  beyond  description.  It  was 
late,  and  Peter,  a  Httle  weary  with  his  long  flight,  laid 
himself  do\\Ti  to  sleej). 

Now  the  state  of  repose  to  the  redeemed  is  bliss  un- 
known on  earth ;  for  then  the  soul  in  vision  rises  with  a 
flood  of  light,  into  the  sensible  and  immediate  presence 
of  the  Saviour,  and  holds  with  him  the  most  intimate 
communion ;  asking  him  every  question  love  can  inspire, 
and  receiving  his  gracious  answers,  as  did  the  disciple 
whom  Jesus  loved  while  leaning  on  his  bosom.  It  was 
the  belief  of  the  saints  of  all  ages,  and  this  was  sustained 
by  those  most  learned  in  the  science  of  the  soul,  that  this 
state  of  exaltation  was  the  highest  life ;  when  the  soul 
found  its  repose  in  God,  the  ocean  of  the  Infinite,  where 
all  is  light  and  love ;  to  each  soul  the  perfection  of  being, 
defined  by  no  line,  boimded  by  no  circle,  but  in  which 
the  soul  Avas  represented  to  itself  as  the  centre  and  God 
the  circumference.      Such  was  the  commimion  of  the 

*  Satan,  {Paradise  Lost,  book  i,  line  325)  reproaches  his  fallen  lemons,  lying  en- 
tranced upon  the  burning  lake : 

"To  slumber  here,  as  in  the  vales  of  heaven  I" 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WORLD.  33 

redeemed  with  God  and  Christ,  alike  to  all  capacities, 
the  mightiest  miiid  aud  the  infant  heir  of  glory  who 
but  breathed  and  was  exhaled  to  heaven ;  and  shared 
too  by  archangels,  those  who  stood  with  Lucifer,  son  of 
the  morning,  when  the  almightiness  of  God  Avas  first 
manifested  in  the  creation  of  sims  and  systems,  in- 
numerable. 

Happ.y  sleepers !  whose  beautiful  activity  is  thus  sus- 
pended to  wake  to  visions  of  a  more  beatific  existence. 


34  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEIjr;  OR, 


CHAPTER  n. 

Morning  Scenes— Deacon  Colgate's  account  of  this  Xew  World — Colloquy  con- 
cerning this  World  in  contrast  with  Earth — Breaicfast — Servitors  described- 
Peter  receives  a  Message  from  his  Angel  to  hasten  to  the  Metropolis  to  hear  a 
new  Oratorio  by  Handel,  Haydn,  Mozart  and  Beethoven — The  Messenger 
tells  the  Story  of  his  Life. 

Our  travellers  arose  with  the  song  of  earliest  birds,  and 
met  each  other  on  the  terrace  leading  to  the  grounds 
bordering  on  the  lake.  The  morning  breeze  was  just 
waking  the  waves  to  life.  If  the  sunset  was  glorious, 
the  rising  sun,  whose  coming  was  foretold  by  the 
reflected  light  from  the  vast  zone  cii  cling  this  world, 
was  magnificent,  and  filled  their  souls  with  emotions  of 
sublimity  which  kept  them  silent. 

They  were  brought  down  from  heaven  to  earth  by  the 
song  of  birds,  whose  plumage  was  paradisiacal,  while 
their  notes,  running  through  the  sweetest  inflections, 
won  their  admiring  attention.  And  looking  round  they 
were  delighted  to  see  flowers  of  vmknown  fragrance,  and 
ncAV  combinations  of  hues  ;  and  above  and  around  were 
trees  of  great   height   and    beauty  of  foliage  whose 


SCENES    IN   AJSrOTHER   WORLD.  36 

pendent  boughs,  far  droopmg,  waved  gracefully  over 
them.* 

"  How  beautiful !"  was  an  exclamation  ever  rising  to 
their  lips. 

While  thus  occupied,  Deacon  Colgate  and  wife  joined 
them,  and  after  morning  salutations,  Mrs.  Jay  asked  the 
deacon  to  tell  them  something  about  this  lovely  world. 

""We  are  told,  madam,  that  this  is  a  very  ancient 
world,  and  has  been  peopled  many  cycles  of  centuries. 
It  is  one  of  worlds  of  Beauty  and  Art,  or,  as  my  son 
has  it,  of  the  True  and  the  Beautiful  in  Art.  If  you  have 
circled  it  before  alighting  here,  you  have  seen  its  many 
and  vast  cities,  filled  with  glorious  temjjles  and  edifices 
devoted  to  galleries  of  paintings  and  sculpture,  and 
museimis  of  natural  history,  so  vai-ious  and  bewildering, 
that  walking  through  them  even,  wearies  the  attention 
of  new  comers ;  and  when  you  shall  visit  them,  as  I  have 
done,  you  will  come  away  as  I  did,  with  a  feeling  that 
ages  would  be  exhausted  in  the  attemjDt  to  know  all  that 
is  to  be  known  of  this  one  world." 

"How  the  glory  and  greatness  of  God  widens! 
When  I  was  on  earth,  and  thought  of  eternity,  I  some- 
times speculated  whether  the  time  would  not  come  when 
I  should  have  exhausted  all  that  was  knowable." 

"  And  so,  Mrs.  Jay,  you  thought  you  might  become  a 

*  "  Many  are  the  trees  of  God  that  grow- 
In  Paradise,  and  various  yet  unknown 
To  us."    .    .    .     .—Paradise  Lost,  boolc  ix.,  line  618. 


36  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

fit  subject  of  ennui^''  said  the  deacon,  smiling.  lie  con- 
tinued, "Heaven  is  certainly  somewhat  different  from 
what  we  have  dreamed ;  but  however  that  may  be  in  our 
experience,  our  hopes  are  realized  in  that  we  have  no 
tears  to  be  wiped  away,  no  more  of  sin  to  taint  the  con- 
science and  wound  the  soul." 

Mrs.  Colgate,  with  her  sweet  smile,  followed  her 
husband,  saying,  "To  be  holy,  forever  pure  as  God  is 
pure,  is  the  completeness  of  heavenly  fehcity.  And  yet 
we  all  feel  that  we  are  but  in  the  beginning  of  our  blissful 
existence.  To  grow  into  the  hkeness  of  God — 'one 
with  God  as  Christ  and  God  are  one' — means  more 
than  we  can  now  conceive  of,  and  the  ages  of  eternity 
will  come  to  us  full  freighted  with  the  blessings  of  our 
adoption,  and  '  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  glory.' " 

"It  must  be  so,  dear  Mrs.  Colgate,"  said  Peter, 
"  and  yet,  for  myself  I  speak,  I  have  no  power  to  appre- 
hend these  great  thoughts  from  the  completeness  of  my 
present  existence.  The  measure  of  my  capacity  will 
doubtless  be  enlarged,  but  no  measure  can  be  more  than 
full." 

"Pray  do  not  perplex  my  mind,  Peter,"  Mrs.  Jay 
exclaimed,  "  with  such  vain  imaginings ;  soap  bubbles  of 
philosophers!  I  am  happy  now,  and  shall  be  forever 
happy.  What  more  can  be  desired,  deacon  and  Mrs. 
Colgate  ?  And  yet,  deacon,  I  can  guess  at  the  per- 
plexity and   embarrassment  you  felt  while  wandering 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WORLD.  37 

through  a  vast  collection  of  natural  history,  which  was 
new  to  you,  and  which  you  could  not  but  strive  to 
arrange  into  some  order  which  would  be  available  to 
you  hereafter." 

"My  dear  madam,"  said  the  deacon,  "you  do  not 
begin  to  guess  the  embarrassments  that  await  you. 
Here  is  a  world,  one  of  fifty-two  planets,  that  belong  to 
this  system,  whose  history  goes  back  many  millions  of 
years,  and  every  age  an  age  of  progress.  Their  authors' 
works  are  wi'itten  in  a  language  forever  changing, 
making  the  literature  of  one  cycle  unintelligible  to  those 
of  the  next,  and  all  these  changes  are  to  be  studied  and 
attained  before  the  books  piled  up  in  public  libraries  can 
be  read.  Then  there  are  as  many  eras  in  Art  as  in  lite- 
rature, and  in  the  same  age,  in  difierent  lands,  are  con- 
tending schools  whose  works  to  be  appreciated  must  be 
studied  in  the  light  of  the  period  when  they  were  orig- 
inated. So  that  I,  who  when  I  reached  here,  knew 
nothing  of  such  matters,  felt  myself  overwhelmed  with 
the  variety  of  knoAvledge  to  be  acquired.  Hapj^ily  I 
have  no  lack  of  industry  and  docihty;  and  under  the 
kind  tuition  of  able  masters,  aided  by  my  son,  Mrs.  Col- 
gjite  and  I  have  begun  at  the  alphabet  of  science,  and  we 
hope  to  comprehend  what  now  only  inspires  us  with 
wonder." 

A  scampering  of  some  sort  was  heard  m  the  shrubbery, 
and  turning  roimd,  our  friends  saw  a  flock  of  fawn-like 
animals  bounding  over  the  bushes.     So  soon  as  they  dis- 


38  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

covered  strangers  they  stood  at  gaze,  and  when  Mrs. 
Jay  ran  towards  them  with  kmd  words  and  extended 
hands,  they  drew  back,  till  coming  to  a  wall  of  shrub- 
bery, they  turned  and  giving  a  leap  were  out  of  sight. 
Shortly  the  Egyptian  girl  joined  the  party,  and  at  the 
deacon's  request  she  gave  a  whistle,  when  the  troop  came 
bounding  once  more  over  the  bushes  and  ran  up  to  her 
to  receive  her  caresses.  Encouraged  by  her  voice,  the 
animals  stood  while  Mrs.  Jay  stroked  their  smooth  skins, 
spotted  with  white.  "  How  beautiful !"  said  Mrs.  Jay, 
and  turning  to  the  deacon,  she  inquired,  "  Of  what  use 
are  they  ?" 

"  How  much  that  smacks  of  earth,  madam.  In  our 
world  everything  is  regarded  as  valuable  or  otherwise  for 
its  utility.  An  animal  for  his  fur  or  his  flesh,  biit  here  are  * 
animals  whose  only  use,  outside  then-  own  joy  of  living, 
seems  to  be  to  fill  the  mind  with  forms  of  beauty,  and  to 
give  play  to  the  loving  aiFections  of  the  soul.  I  doubt 
not  there  is  a  use  in  all  things  God  has  made,  but  I  doubt 
if  the  inhabitants  of  this  world  ever  had  this  inquiry  of 
yours  in  their  heads.  You  will*  find,  Mrs.  Jay,  that  all 
your  ideas  are  to  be  read  backwards  in  worlds  where  sin 
and  sorrow  are  unknown." 

"  Is  there  no  death  here  ?"  exclaimed  Peter,  "  and  if 
none,  what  saves  you  from  a  redundant  population  ?" 

The  deacon  repUed  with  a  smile,  "  I  assure  you,  Peter, 
we  do  not  need  Enghsh  laws  to  discourage  matrimony, 
nor  any  aid  fi-om  Mr.  Malthus,  as  to  population." 


SCENES    EST   ANOTHER   WOKLD. 


39 


"Do  explain  yourself,  Deacon  Colgate,"  said  Mrs. 
Jay ;  "  for  this  world  wears  a  look  of  spaciousness,  and 
from  the  bird's-eye  view  I  have  had  of  it,  though  culti- 
vated  as  a  garden,  it  has  no  sign  of  bemg  crowded  ;  in- 
deed, there  are  vast  areas  yet  in  nature's  virgin  soil  to  be 
seen  in  every  contment  and  on  every  island." 

"The  germ  of  population  commenced  here  as  on 
earth,  only  as  their  Adam  and  Eve  ate  no  apple,  so  then- 
Paradise  now  covers  the  entire  globe.  There  ai^e  here 
two  classes— the  commoners,  who  are  many,  and  the 
select  few,  who  are  born,  as  in  England,  lords  of  the 
soil.  These  all  have  their  appropriate  trammg  m  their 
several  schools  of  hterature,  art  and  science,  and  when 
they  attain  to  perfection  here,  they  are  translated  to  a 
higher  sphere,  where  they  are  placed  in  worlds  analo- 
go'lis,  but' of  greater  glory,  and  thus  they  go  onward  in 
endless  progression." 

Mrs.  Jay  asked,  "  Do  they  not  dread  this  change  ?  Is 
there  no  hesitancy,  nothing  like  that  which  we  feel  when 

leaving 

1  the  warm  precincts  of  life's  cheerful  day, 

We  cast  one  longing,  Ungering,  look  behind  ?' " 

«  0,  never !"  rephed  the  deacon.  "  I  have  witnessed 
several  translations.  When  the  angel  comes  for  them, 
all  their  children  and  friends  are  gathered  together  with 
joy  and  gladness.  After  a  season  of  festivity,  the  father 
and  mother  (for  here  these  ties  are  indissoluble),  are 


40  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

taken  up  into  the  air  by  the  convoy  of  angels,  and  their 
songs  of  thanksgiving  are  sent  back  by  those  they  leave 
behind." 

"And  do  children  never  hear  from  their  parents? 
Are  there  no  telegrapliic  lines  to  link  these  far-off  worlds 
together  ?"  asked  Peter. 

'No,  Peter,  we  have  no  such  vehicles  of  thought, 
though  we  are  constantly  receiving  visits  of  angels  who 
bring  messages  from  those  '  not  lost,  but  gone  before,' 
But  though  we  have  no  such  lines  as  you  ask  after,  you 
will  find  each  of  our  great  cities  the  centre  of  a  net-work 
of  wires ;  for  though  these  people  are  in  advance  of  us 
by  cycles  of  ages  in  all  our  discoveries  of  printing, 
steam,  and  the  like,  yet  Professor  Morse's  discovery  of 
sending  a  written  message  with  the  speed  of  lightning 
was  a  sui-prise ;  and  it  was  at  once  introduced  into  this 
world.  There  are  no  such  pitiful  jealousies  here,  as 
has  kept  Wheatstone's  visual  telegraph  in  being  in  Eng- 
land, while  the  continent  of  Europe  is  covered  with 
3Iorse's  instruments,  writing  by  Morse's  alphabet," 

"Have  they  made  no  improvements  upon  Morse?" 
asked  Peter. 

"  None,"  replied  the  deacon,  "  and  for  this  reason, 
Professor  Morse,  at  a  single  bound,  reached  the  ne  plus 
ultra  of  alphabetic  signs,  since  nothing  is  so  simple  as  a 
line^  nothing  can  be  less  than  a  dot.'''' 

Mrs.  Jay,  who  had  been  listening  with  great  attention, 
asked  if  they  used  steam  on  this  globe,  for,  she  said,  "  I 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WORLD.  41 

thought  I  saw  vast  steamers,  crossmg  the  ocean  iu  all 
directions,  but  I  could  see  neither  smoke-stacks  nor 
smoke;  and  yet  they  "went  forward  with  amazing 
celerity." 

"  Steam  has  long  since  been  superseded  by  the  dis- 
covery of  a  very  simple  and  safe  process  of  Ubcrating 
the  inconceivable  power  of  electricity  latent  in  water. 
This  is  done  with  perfect  ease,  and  a  wineglass  of  water 
is  found  to  contain  as  much  electric  force  as  is  evolved 
in  the  heaviest  of  thunder  storms ;  and  this  latent  elec- 
tricity has  been  made  as  docile  as  the  electro-magnetic 
fluid  in  sending  messages  from  New  York  to  New 
Orleans." 

"  Is  it  possible !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Jay ;  "  and  is  this 
dreamed  of  on  our  earth  ?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  deacon,  "  I  am  told  this  great  idea 
has  been  started  by  Michael  Faraday,  and  it  will  not  now 
be  permitted  to  remain  imdiscovered."  * 

"To  change  the  toi^ic  of  our  discourse,"  said  Mrs. 
Jay,  "  will  you  please  tell  me  what  number  of  the 
Redeemed  are  residents  of  this  world  ?" 

"  The  number  varies  daily,  madam,  but  probably  fifty 
to  seventy-five  thousand  are  scattered  over  this  globe, 
in  its  hamlets,  villas,  towns  and  cities." 

"  So   few !    John   saw  in   heaven  a  great  multitude, 


•  The  author  quotes  from  memory.    The  paper  by  Faraday  is  in  the  printed 
Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society,  from  1885  to  1845. 


42  TUB  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

which  he  says,  '  no  man  can  number,  of  all  nations,  and 
kindreds,  and  peoples,  and  tongues,  clothed  in  white, 
singing  the  anthem  '  Salvation  to  our  God.'  " 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Jay,  but  who  can  number  the  worlds  of 
light  that  burn  in  the  depths  of  space,  in  all  which  God 
reveals  his  love  of  science  and  art  ?  Are  you  good  at 
figures,  Mrs.  Jay  ?" 

"  My  mental  arithmetic.  Deacon  Colgate,  was  quite 
equal  to  the  smn  of  fifteen  and  a  half  yards  of  silk  for  a 
dress,  at  two  dollars  and  eighty-seven  and  a  half  cents  a 
yard;  and  I  think  Mrs.  Colgate  will  confirm  me  in 
saying,  that  this  is  more  than  most  ladies  can  do  who 
buy  their  silks  at  Stewart's.  But  why  do  you  ask  me 
such  a  question,  deacon  ?" 

"  I  thought,  perhaps,  you  could  have  told  us  the  num- 
ber of  Noah's  family,  upon  the  ratio  of  increase  which 
has  been  fixed  upon  by  statisticians  of  our  times.  When 
you  shall  have  studied  numbers,  as  you  will  do  hereafter 
in  some  world  devoted  to  this  wonderful  science,  you 
may  make  up  the  mighty  sum,  and  have  a  capacity  to 
grasp  it.  The  only  interest  it  now  has  to  us,  children  of 
immortality,  in  this  the  infancy  of  our  heavenly  exist- 
ence, is,  to  show  the  folly  of  the  opinion  which  obtains 
with  many  persons,  that  our  earth  is  to  be  made  up 
anew  for  the  habitation  of  the  Redeemed."  * 

*  Archbishop  Whately,  page  192,  Lecture  Lx.,  on  the  "  Condition  of  the  Blest 
and  their  Abode  in  Heaven,"  says :  "  The  eternal  habitation  of  the  blest  is 
described  by  the  apostle  as  'new  heavens  and  a  new  earth;'   meaning   by 


SCEJSTES    IN    ANOTIIEK    WOKI.D.  43 

"That  thought  was  never  pleasant  to  me,"  replied 
Mrs.  Jay,  "  and  the  moment  I  Avas  free  from  the 
body,  at  one  volition  I  was  beyond  the  system  of  our 
earth,  and  as  my  angel  told  me,  surrounded  by  the  suns 
of  the  Nebula  in  the  belt  of  Orion.  And  I  have  not  the 
least  desire  to  go  back  even  for  a  short  stay." 

"  You  will  never  return  unless  God  wills  it,"  said  the 
deacon,  "  and  then  your  will  and  his  will  be  one." 

"  May  I  ask  Avliat  are  your  studies  here,  deacon  ?" 

"  Well,  Peter,  I  have  of  course  begim  with  the  lan- 
guage of  this  people  at  the  present  day,  and  I  have  now 
a  good  command  of  their  vernacular,  so  that  when  I 
meet  with  the  common  people  I  can  converse  with  them. 
The  higher  classes  usually  speak  English  with  great 
beauty.  This  arises  from  so  many  being  sent  to  this 
world  who  are  natives  of  Great  Britain  and  North 
America.  My  first  study  in  art  has  been  in  drawing 
and  perspective,  preparatory  to  the  study  of  architec- 
ture. You  remember,  Peter,  my  brick  front  to  the  old 
tabernacle.     That  stands  a  monument  of  my  sldll.     My 

'heavens'  the  air  we  breathe  and  sky  over  our  heads,  as  he  means  by  '  earth' 
the  place  on  which  we  dwell.  As  this  description  must  be  understood,  in  a  great 
degree  at  least,  literally  ;  since  the  blest  in  the  next  world,  having  real  material 
bodies  as  now,  though  different  from  then-  present  bodies,  must  inhabit  some  J9^ace 
fitted  for  the  reception  of  such  bodies  ;  though  exempt,  of  course,  from  the  evils 
of  the  world  they  now  dwell  in,  and  from  all  the  temptations  that  could  lead  them 
into  sin ;  '  righteousness,'  says  the  apostle,  will  dwell  in  the  new  heavens  and  the 
•new  earth  '  which  God  has  promised." 

In  order  to  show  the  impossibility  arising  out  of  numbers,  the  author  requests 
the  attention  of  liis  readers  to  Appendix  A. 


44  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

son,  Josey,  amused  himself  by  calling  it  'Colgate's 
front,'  and  I  am  sure  Michael  Angelo,  or  Sir  Christopher 
Wren,  would  give  it  their  sanction.  It  was  an  old 
building,  and  needed  a  front  of  some  sort ;  and  for  the 
money  it  cost,  I  do  not  believe  it  could  be  bettered.  I 
was  not  a  little  proud  of  it,  and  I  may  have  talked  more 
about  it  than  it  merited;  but  I  am  sure  I  committed 
greater  follies  in  my  lifetune  than  by  advocating  free 
pews  and  my  brick  front,  which,  even  now,  contrast 
favorably  with  marble-pillared  porticoes,  which  frown 
upon  the  poor,  as  they  in  passing  cast  a  stealthy  look 
into  a  luxurious  church  which  contams  no  free  seats  for 
them.  I  thank  God,  that  I  have  left  behind  me  a  build- 
ing for  the  worshijD  of  God  and  Christ  which  is  free  to 
all." 

The  hour  of  morning  worship  now  sounded  from  the 
belfry  of  the  cathedral,  when  the  inhabitants  in.  all  their 
homes  assembled  for  the  adoration  of  their  Creator  and 
bountiful  Benefactor.  Our  friends  all  rose  to  go  into 
the  chapel,  as  it  was  called — a  large  hall  in  the  eastern 
wing,  fitted  up  Avith  an  organ.  Not  only  the  Redeemed, 
but  all  the  servitors  of  the  palace  were  present,  when 

"  with  preamble  sweet 

Of  charming  symphony  they  introduced 
Their  sacred  song,  and  wakened  raptures  high. 
No  Toice  exempt,  no  voice  but  well  could  join 
Melodious  part :  such  concord  is  in  heaven."  * 

,     ♦  Milton— Paradise  Lost,  book  iii.,  line  8T0. 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   "WORLD.  46 

After  the  morning  service,  followed  the  sweet  morn- 
ing congratulations  of  the  Redeemed,  and  with  a  mirth- 
fulness  alike  graceful  and  pleasing,  they  all  proceeded  to 
the  great  saloon,  where,  as  before,  a  table  was  spread, 
whose  magnificence  was,  to  Peter  and  Mrs,  Jay,  amaz- 
ing. Fresh  fruits  and  fresh  flowers,  and  grapes  just 
gathered,  were  placed  before  them  by  servitors  whose 
every  movement  was  a  new  surprise  of  grace  to  or.r  new 
comers.  These  were  as  numerous  as  the  company. 
Various  were  the  topics .  discoursed  of  at  the  table,  and 
Peter  Ustened  with  delight  to  tones  that  seemed  to  him 
spoken  music. 

The  servitors  were  aU  young,  and  far  surpassed  the 
Redeemed  in  beauty  and  figure ;  and  then,  the  slightest 
act,  whatever  it  might  be,  was  the  perfection  of  grace. 
These  servitors  regarded  it  as  a  high  distmction  con- 
ferred upon  them,  though  they  all  belonged  to  the  nobil- 
ity, thus  to  stand  associated  Avith  the  children  of  God. 

After  breakfast,  they  separated ;  some  to  one  studio, 
and  some  to  another;  some  to  pamt  on  a  picture, 
another  to  chisel  a  statue.  Often  several  of  both  sexes 
were  at  work  on  the  same  group  of  marble ;  and  others 
again,  set  off  for  the  schools  of  science  and  litera- 
ture. 

Deacon  and  Mrs.  Colgate  offered  to  devote  them- 
selves for  the  day  to  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter,  but  as  this 
would  interrupt  their  studies,  Mrs.  Jay  insisted  that  she 
should  be  left  to  the  care  of  Peter,  and  that  they  Avould 


46  THE   GATES  WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 

make  a  near  survey  of  this  lovely  world,  and  return  in 
good  time  for  evening  worship  in  the  cathedral. 

While  thus  engaged,  one  of  the  Redeemed  entered  the 
saloon  where  they  were  sitting,,  and,  addressing  Peter, 
said  to  him,  "The  angel  of  Peter  Schlemihl  has  sent 
me :  he  wishes  you  to  accompany  me  to  the  metropolis, 
where  a  new  oratorio,  by  Handel,  is  to  be  performed 
this  day,  at  twelve,  in  the  Academy  of  Music."  This  at 
once  settled  the  question  as  for  the  day's  occupation,  for 
Mrs.  Jay  asked  permission  to  go  Avith  Peter,  which  was 
promptly  granted  by  the  messenger;  and  the  deacon 
and  wife  ^were  also  earnestly  invited,  but  the  deacon 
declined,  for,  he  said,  "Neither  Mrs.  Colgate  nor 
myself  have  yet  attained  to  such  knowledge  as  will  ena- 
ble us  to  comprehend  this  oratorio." 

The  excellent  deacon  and  his  lady  walked  with  them 
to  the  portico,  and  there  took  leave  of  Mrs.  Jay  and 
Peter,  with  warm  invitations  to  return  whenever  it 
should  please  them  to  do  so.  It  was  a  bright  day ;  the 
air  warm  and  full  of  fragrance,  and  with  a  joy  only 
kno^vn  to  the  Redeemed,  they  rose  gracefully  into  the  air, 
imtil  they  had  reached  a  pleasing  height,  and  which 
afforded  the  best  bird's-eye  view  of  the  country  over 
which  they  were  floating. 

"It  is  somewhat  surprising,  sir,"  said  Mrs.  Jay  to 
their  guide,  "  that  any  one  can  leave  such  a  world  as 
this  mthout  one  sigh  of  regret." 

He  replied:  "To  us,  of  earth,  it  is  wonderful;  but 


SCENES    EST    ANOTHER   WOKLD.  47 

their  wills  are  one  with  God's ;  and  then  they  know  that 
eveiy  change  is  one  of  progress,  and  that  joy  is  their 
heritage.  How  nnhke  our  earth !  bnt  then  our  joy  is 
heightened  by  contrast." 

"  Doubtless,"  replied  Peter ;  "  but  it  is  learned  in  a 
school  of  temptation  and  triah" 

"  It  is  a  source  of  terrible  apprehension  even  now," 
rephed  the  guide,  "to  think  of  the  precipices  of  destruc- 
tion upon  which  we  once  stood,  unconscious  or  reckless 
of  the  fiery  billows  burnmg  below  iis,  and  from  which 
we  were  saved  by  the  ministry  of  angels,  thus  perfecting 
the  love  of  God  our  Saviour.  These  jjeople,  in  common 
with  all  intelligences  unfollen,  listen  with  delight  to  the 
stories  of  the  redeemed,  especially  of  those  who  have 
come  out  of  great  tribulations,  and  washed  their  robes 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  They  but  feebly  com- 
prehend what  is  the  height  and  depth  of  the  love  of 
God  in  the  redemption  of  sinners ;  and  the  chiefest 
vehicle  of  these  great  ideas  is  music.  This  is,  therefore, 
the  method  adoj^ted  by  the  glorious  men  of  our  world 
to  make  kno^vn  to  other  worlds,  such  as  this,  the  mys- 
tery madB  manifest  in  the  life,  sufiermgs  and  death  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  To-day  we  are  to  listen  to  a 
new  labor  of  Handel's  genius,  aided  by  others  as  glori- 
ously endowed,  which  is  to  tell  of  the  Nativity  of 
Christ.     I  am  sure  you  will  be  amply  repaid  for  your  visit." 

"  May  I  ask,  sir,  where  were  you  born,  and  in  what 
age  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 


48  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

"  With  all  pleasure,  madam.  God  was  pleased  to  give 
me  my  existence  in  England,  in  the  year  1760.  My 
name  was  Richard  Godfrey.  My  lot  was  one  of  toil.  I 
was  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  ia 
Christ  Jesus,  uader  the  ministry  of  William  Romaine, 
of  pious  memory.  There  lay  hid  in  my  soul  aspirations 
which  filled  me  mth  longmgs  I  could  never  define.  I 
knew  not  what  it  was  thus  seeking  for  life  and  develop- 
ment, imtil  I  was  led  by  my  trade  to  labor  on  the  man- 
sion of  the  Earl  of  Stafibrd.  For  the  first  time  in  my 
life  I  entered  a  gallery  of  sculpture  and  paintings.  Then 
it  was  I  began  to  breathe.  My  sovtl  took  its  first  flight, 
and  I  was  lost  in  the  visions  of  beauty  that  I  saw  all 
around  me ;  but  it  was  all  too  brief,  for  my  opportunities 
of  seeing  paintings  and  statuary  were  Uke  gleams  of  sun- 
shine on  the  dark  and  desolate  wastes  of  existence. 
The  temple  of  art  was  closed  upon  me  in  time,  but  here 
it  has  been  thrown  open  to  me  heaven-wide." 


SCENES    IN    ANOTIIKK    WORLD.  4:9 


CHAPTER  III. 

A  Day  spent  in  tlie  World  of  Art  and  Beauty — Of  the  new  St.  Peter's  built  by  M-chn el 
Angelo — Mrs.  Jay  and  her  friend  Peter  meet  with  their  neighbor,  Mr.  Laurens 
— The  new  Oratorio  by  Handel  is  performed,  aided  by  Haydn,  Mozart  and  Bee- 
thoven— Of  the  Language  and  Literature  of  the  ^A'orld  of  Art — They  reach  the 
Happy  Valley— Trial  of  Skill  with  a  Mocking-bird — The  Enigmas  of  Faith  Dis- 
cussed—Laurens  introduces  his  friends  to  St.  Perpetua — They  attend  Vespers— 
The  Temple  and  Worship  described. 

As  they  thus  floated  along  in  pleasant  converse,  they 
often  paused  in  their  flight  to  look  down  on  cities, 
crowded  with  edifices,  the  work  of  many  centuries. 
After  circling  this  globe  for  more  than  four  hours,  they 
reached  the  Metropolitan  City,  which  covered  an 
immense  jilateau  of  high  land,  surrounded  with  raouu- 
tams  capped  with  snow ;  in  the  very  centre  of  which  lay 
a  glassy  lake  of  pure  water,  forever  supplied  by  rivulets 
trickling  dowTi  the  sides  of  these  mountains.  Though 
situated  near  the  equator.of  this  globe,  the  atmosi^here 
was  cool  and  bracing,  and  this  city  was  regarded  as 
admirably  well  situated  for  the  prosecution  of  the  highei- 
branches  in  art,  because  of  the  purity  of  its  climate. 
Led  by  their  guide,  they  alighted  upon  the  tessellated 

3 


50  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

pavement  of  a  grand  square.  On  either  side  of  them, 
as  they  stood  gazing  about,  were  sculptured  fovmtains, 
throwing  up  plumes  of  crystal  water  into  the  air,  which 
came  down  in  diamond  drops.  Slender  obelisks  rose  to 
a  great  height,  in  front  of  a  majestic  temple,  which  filled 
up  one  side  of  the  square,  surpassing  all  they  had  con- 
ceived as  possible  for  created  beings  to  have  built. 

"  This  grand  temple,"  said  the  guide,  "  is  in  the  form 
of  the  Greek  cross,  and  is  a  reproduction  of  St,  Peter's, 
by  Michael  Angelo.*  He  was  made  hapi^y  by  being 
appointed  architect  on  his  arrival  here,  which  happened 
immediately  after  his  death ;  and  on  its  completion,  he 
was  sent  to  a  more  glorious  world,  where  his  lofty 
genius  will  find  scope  for  yet  higher  conceptions  of  his 
art — the  art  of  arts,^^  said  Godfrey  with  emphasis. 

"  Is  architecture  so  regarded  here  ?"  asked  Peter.  "  I 
remember  to  have  seen  this  claimed  for  it  by  Yitru- 
vius ;  but  it  was  not  so  regarded  ia  our  day,  certainly 
not  in  the  United  States." 

"For  the  good  reason,"  rephed  Godfrey,  with 
warmth,  "that  there  are  but  few  men  capable  of  com- 
prehending all  the  demands  made  by  the  art.  It  is  all 
that  Vitruvius  has  said  of  it,  and  Michael  Angelo  has 

*  St.  Peter's  was  first  designed  by  Bramante,  who  was  followed  by  SangaUo,  who 
was  associated  with  Raphael  On  the  death  of  these  eminent  men,  in  1546, 
Michael  Angelo  Buonarotti  was  appointed  sole  architect.  His  design  was  a  Greek 
cross.  It  was  changed  by  Carlo  Maderno,  internally  as  well  as  externally,  to  the 
Bhape  of  the  Latin  cross.— Xerters  of  an  Architect,  by  Jos.  Woods.  London, 
1828. 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  51 

sho^Ti  to  the  world  the  intimate  relations  of  the 
builder  and  the  sculptor  and  painter.  But  any  builder 
of  dwellihg-houses,  even,  is  allowed  to  call  himself  an 
architect ;  and  when  a  man  of  varied  learning  and 
science  and  skill  arises  in  the  providence  of  God  to  bless 
tlie  nation  to  which  he  is  given,  his  genius  is  cramped 
by  the  ignorance  of  those  who  hold  the  purse." 

"  Tliere  will  be  no  more  grand  labors  of  the  archi- 
tect," continued  Godfrey,  "  since  the  world  has  become 
so  wondrous  wise,  and  when  every  man  holding  office 
regards  himself  competent  to  control  and  direct  men  of 
genius." 

"You  speak  with  feeling,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

"Yes,  madam,  and  with  reason.  I  made  a  brief 
visit  some  short  time  since  to  our  world,  and  was  so 
pained  mth  the  wretched  imitations  of  the  ancients,  and 
especially  the  dark,  ill-ventilated,  pigmy  places  of 
worship,  called  'Gothic  churches,'  that  I  came  away 
in  hot  haste,  and  determined  never  to  visit  the  earth 
again." 

"  Oh,"  said  Mrs.  Jay,  smiling,  "  it  is  nothing  but  bad 
taste.  The  fashionables  will  come  to  their  senses  and  fro 
back  to  a  style  of  building  fitted  for  the  worship  of 
God;  and  some  twenty  years  after,  their  shallow  imi- 
tators Avill  follow  their  example." 

While  thus  conversing,  they  walked  towards  the 
grand  temple.  A  multitude  of  citizens,  with  their  fami- 
lies, were  thronging  the  entrance.     Their  robes  and  ves- 


52  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

tures  were  of  various  hues,  and  worn  with  a  grace  of 
movement,  and  a  mien  so  beautiful,  that  both  Peter  and 
Mrs.  Jay  paused  to  witness  a  sight  so  novel.  Every  face 
was  bi'ight  with  anticii^ation,  and  their  steps  were  eager 
and  elastic;  but  there  was  no  vulgar  hurry,  no  jostling, 
but  the  utmost  courtesy  prevailed.  On  their  approach, 
these  citizens,  with  a  smile  and  graceful  recognition, 
stood  aside  Avith  deferential  courtesy,  to  make  way  for 
their  entrance  into  the  vestibule  of  the  temple.  Here 
new  wonders  awaited  them.  On  the  walls  so  vividly 
were  pictured  scenes  from  the  life  of  Christ,  that  it  was 
as  if  the  forms  before  them  were  instinct  with  Ufe,  and 
statues,  too,  looked  down  from  their  pedestals  as  if  about 
to  open  their  marble  lips. 

On  all  sides  of  this  vast  temple  were  seats  as  in  an 
amphitheatre,  which  were  already  filled  with  an  expec- 
tant audience.  At  the  entrance,  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter 
were  met  by  Peter's  angel,  who  led  them  to  seats  of  emi- 
nence, already  occupied  by  numbers  of  the  Redeemed, 
and  of  women  "  native  here." 

It  was  with  breathless  delight  that  Mrs,  Jay  and  Peter 
foimd  themselves  seated  next  their  lost  and  gifted  friend 
and  neighbor,  Mr.  Alexander  Laurens,  who  had  disco- 
vered them  as  they  were  being  led  up. 

Rising,  Mr.  Laurens  gave  his  seat  to  Mrs.  Jay,  and  so 
sat  between  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter,  turning  from  one  to 
the  other,  exchanging  glad  congratulations  at  meeting 
each  other  under  such  happy  circumstances.     He  had  a 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WORLD.  63 

hundred  questions  to  ask  of  Peter,  who,  havuig  left  the 
world  last,  could  best  inform  him  of  the  welfare  of  his 
wife  and  children.  While  these  hurried  questions  were 
put  and  answered,  the  choir  and  orchestra  were  entering 
and  taking  their  several  seats,  filling  up  that  portion  of 
the  temple  which  would  be  called  on  earth  the  altar  or 
chancel.  There  stood  the  great  organ,  in  all  respects 
equal  to  the  building,  and  beside  all  known  instruments 
there  were  others  whose  forms  were  as  new  as  the 
sounds  they  made. 

Laurens  whispered  to  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter,  "  that  the 
oratorio  which  was  about  to  be  performed  was  the  joint 
production  of  Handel,  Haydn,  Mozart  and  Beethoven ; 
all  of  whom  would  aid  in  the  performances.  Music,  and 
the  Arts  of  Design,"  he  said,  "  are  the  best  of  all  vehicles 
for  revealing  to  the  minds  of  sinless  beings  the  mystery 
of  man's  redemption.  In  this  world,  music  is  not 
regarded  as  a  sign  of  the  decline  of  a  race,  but  rather 
as  the  nearest  approach  to  the  God-like  that  creatures 
can  attain  unto." 

"  Very  unlike  the  world  we  have  left,"  said  Peter. 

Laurens  smiled  and  replied,  "Our  quartette  parties 
will  have  given  you  but  a  faint  idea  of  the  music  you 
are  about  to  hear.  On  earth,  eloquence  of  words  is 
regarded  as  the  highest  attainment  of  man ;  but  here  the 
glorious  capacity  of  harmony  to  reach  the  soul  is  felt 
and  acknowledged.  Indeed,  music  is  here  in  some  sort 
a  universal  language.     If  the  voice  of  Clay,  of  Calhoun, 


54  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

or  of  Webster,  glowing  with  eloquence,  could  thrill 
the  souls  of  a  Ustening  multitude,  what  must  be  the  elec- 
tric force  of  such  a  choir  as  you  see  collecting,  aided  by 
such  performers,  when,  too,  every  note  is  pregnant  with 
meaning,  with  which  the  choir,  orchestra  and  auditors  are 
alike  inspired,  as  by  the  overshadowing  of  the  omnis- 
cient Jehovah.  And  then  the  theme  is  worthy  the  galaxy 
of  genius  that  has  been  tasked  in  the  composition  of  this 
grand  oratorio ;  for  it  is  the  story  of  the  birth  of  Christ." 

"Pray  tell  me,  Laurens,  how  long  you  have  been 
here  ?"  asked  Peter. 

"  After  my  arrival  at  the  Holy  City,  and  my  presenta- 
tion to  my  glorious  Saviour,  I  sought  for  my  infant  boy, 
and  was  informed  that  he  had  been  sent  to  the  World 
of  Art  and  Beauty  to  commence  his  studies.  Now  of 
all  worlds,  that  devoted  to  the  science  of  harmony  Avas 
attractive  to  me ;  and  so  it  was,  that  after  a  short  stay  in 
the  Celestial  City,  I  was  brought  here  by  my  angel,  and 
found  my  son,  a  beautiful  spirit,  whose  loveliness  of  form 
and  admirable  skill  and  attainments  filled  me  with 
delight.  You  see  him  now  near  that  gentle  featured 
man,  whose  sweet  smile  comes  from  a  heart  full  of  good- 
ness— that  is  Mozart." 

Both  Peter  and  Mrs.  Jay  looked  with  eagerness  to 
see  the  lovely  son  of  their  friend,  and  the  gentle  Mozart. 

Handel,  Haydn,  Mozart  and  Beethoven  now  had 
taken  their  several  stations,  when  the  organist  began 
placing  the  grand  overture.     As  the  overture  proceeded 


SCENES    IX    ANOTHER    WORLD. 


55 


the  orchestra  sUd  into  the  Thema,  and  gradually  the 
intensity  of  high  and  holy  thoughts  conveyed  by  the 
soul-entrancing  harmony,  so  thrilled  the  audience  that 
they  rose  as  by  one  impulse,  when  the  choir  burst  into 
the  opening  anthem— "  Holy,  holy,  holy  art  thou.  Lord 
God  Almighty:  the  earth  is  full  of  thy  glory!"  These 
words  were  reduplicated  in  multiform  ways,  and  with 
every  new  modification,  new  impressions  of  the  stupend- 
ous thoughts  arose  in  the  soul  of  every  auditor,  until  it 
seemed  beyond  the  power  of  even  angelic  natures  to 
endure  such  harmony  as  this. 

This  anthem  sunk  away  in  far-off  echoes,  as  if  distant 
worlds  had  caught  the  flame  of  enthusiasm,  and  the  re- 
bound came  back  in  murmurs,  till  all  was  hushed.  Then 
the  silence  of  night  on  the  plains  of  Bethlehem  was 
painted  to  the  mmd's  eye  through  the  ear.  The  bleat- 
ing of  the  lambs,  and  the  buzzing  of  the  insects  of  a  sum- 
mer's night  were  distmctly  heard,  and  the  dull  tmkling 
and  pastoral  voices  of  night  were  so  closely  imitated  that 
the  imagination  was  captivated  by  the  soothing  sounds.* 
Then  anew  movement  showed  the  souls  of  the  shepherds 

*  Wkbkr  says,  he  never  saw  a  beautiful  landscape  that  did  not  produce  in  his 
mind  a  train  of  corresponding  musical  associations. 

"  A  universal  sympathy,  and  the  faculty  of  expressing  it  in  forms  as  multifarious 
as  the  aspects  of  nature-remote  ideas  instinct  with  truth-the  power  of  awakening 
in  a  phrase  of  melody  a  long  train  of  dormant  feelings,  which  seem  before  to  have 
wanted  their  true  expression-these  are  the  qualities  to  account  for  the  rarity  of 
hl^h  musical  genius ;  and  especially  so  when  it  becomes  necessary  to  suppose  them 
refined  by  a  tedious  education,  and  an  experience  in  the  details  of  art  the  most 
painfully  minute."— £outiioates  Many  Thoughts. 


.  56  THE   GATES   WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 

full  of  lofty  aspirations  as  they  gazed  upon  the  stars  burn- 
ing above  them ;  and  in  recitatives  they  spoke  to  each 
other  of  the  promises  made  in  the  holy  oracles  of  God, 
of  the  Messiah  that  was  to  come.  Then  suddenly  blazed 
forth  the  glory  of  God  from  out  the  dark  heavens,  and 
the  words  of  the  angel  were  sung — "  Fear  not :  for,  be- 
hold I  bring  you  good  tidmgs  of  great  joy,  which  shall 
be  to  all  people.  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day  in  the 
city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord."  Then 
came  the  glorious  chorus — "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men." 

Such  were  the  familiar  words  which  formed  the  themes 
of  harmonies  which  thrilled  this  vast  audience  with  emo- 
tions no  words  can  express.  Peter,  forgetful  of  every- 
thing, turned  to  the  lady  who  sat  on  his  right,  and 
exclaimed,  "  How  unspeakably  glorious !  "  She  smiled 
as  she  bowed  graciously  and  replied  in  a  language 
unknown  to  him. 

The  assembly  was  a  long  time  in  dispersing.  There 
were  so  many  words  to  be  spoken  in  admiration  of  the 
new  oratorio,  and  of  the  glorious  theme,  that  Mrs.  Jay 
and  Peter  had  time  allowed  them  to  look  about  them. 
They  were  charmed  with  the  child-like  innocency  in  the 
fiice  of  Mozart ;  as  for  Beethoven  he  had  not  yet  descended 
from  his  open  vision  of  the  throne  of  God,  and  sat  gazing 
upward  as  in  a  trance.  Haydn  with  smiles  received  the 
congratulations  of  the  choir  gathering  about  him,  while 
Handel,  in  a  rapt  state  of  soul,  stood  looking  up  to  the 


SCENES    IN    xVNOTHER    VrOKLD.  57 

frescoed  roof,  as  if  those  angels  ever  bright  and  fair,  float- 
ing in  the  heavens  above,  were  answering  back  his  beau- 
tiful appeal  to  take  hira  to  their  arms. 

It  Avas  hard  to  quit  this  glorious  creation  of  genius. 
They  wanted  hours  to  satisfy  their  Avish  to  look  up  at  the 
dome,  painted  by  native  artists  who  had  here  labored  to 
give  color  and  expression  to  the  cartoons  of  Michael  An- 
gelo.  Laurens  was  impatient  of  delay,  and  wished  them 
to  tear  themselves  away,  saying,  "  You  can  come  to- 
morrow and  see  this  to  your  heart's  content."  "  To-mor- 
row*!" exclaimed  Mrs.  Jay.  ""  No,  there  is  none  in  this 
life,  as  there  was  none  in  the  j^ast.  What  we  wish  to  see 
we  must  see  as  it  passes  before  us  ;  for  with  infinity  of 
worlds  all  around  ns  full  of  wonders,  we  shall,  perhaps, 
never  return  to  this  again." 

"  Oh  yes !  this  world  will  probably  be  the  school  to 
which  you  Avill  be  sent  to  take  your  first  lessons,"  replied 
Mr.  Laurens. 

"  I  shall  be  most  happy  if  it  be  so,"  said  Mrs.  Jay ;  "  but 
as  yet  I  have  been  alloAved  to  go  wherever  I  will  to  be. 
This  large  liberty  of  action  is  my  dehght  now.  It  is  so 
delightful  to  say — 'I  will,'  and  I  am." 

As  they  thus  stood  gazing  up  and  around,  Peter's  next 
neighbor  passed,  and  with  a  bow  of  recognition  and  a 
lovely  smile,  spoke  to  hira  a  few  words  as  she  swept  by 
with  her  party. 

Peter  touched  Laurens'  aim,  and  asked,  "What  did 
that  lady  say  as  she  passed  us  ?" 

3* 


58  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  It  was  the  usual  salutation  of  this  people  expressing 
their  pleasure  in  meeting  friends,"  replied  Laurens. 

"  Tell  me  how  do  you  get  on  here,  where  all  tongues 
and  dialects  are  new  to  you?  Is  it  not  very  embarrass- 
ing;?" 

"  It  would  be  were  it  not  that  our  English  tongue  is 
generally  spoken  in  the  higher  circles.  And  you  are 
doubtless  conscious  of  the  fact,  that  the  Redeemed 
and  angels  are  possessed  of  the  power  of  intuition ;  so 
that  in  whatever  language  the  idea  is  conveyed,  it  is 
represented  to  the  mind  of  the  listener  in  his  mother 
tongue;  and  to  your  apprehension  angels  and  the 
Redeemed  all  speak  the  English  language." 

"I  never  guessed  they  did  not  speak  English,  and  the 
choicest  of  English,  Laurens.  How  is  it  with  you,  Mrs. 
Jay  ?"  asked  Peter. 

"The  thought  never  presented  itself  before.  As  it 
was  represented  to  my  mind,  so  I  supposed  it  was  spoken; 
but  now  I  see  the  goodness  of  God  in  thus  constituting 
our  minds  for  receiving  and  conveying  ideas.  Let  me 
ask,  do  you  speak  the  language  of  this  world,  Mr.  Lau- 
rens ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  I  have  a  command  of  all  their  familiar  words,  which 
combine  the  power  of  the  language,  as  the  Saxon  does 
the  English.  They,  however,  amount  to  many  thousand. 
You  can  have  little  idea  of  the  opulence  of  their  voca- 
bulary, as  well  as  of  the  grace  and  elegance  of  their 
thoughts.      I   am  told  there  are  famous  worlds  where 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  59 

every  symbol  signifies  not  a  sound  but  great  and  mighty 
thoughts,  forged  from  brains  of  beings  who  hold  rank  in 
those  worlds,  as  Homer,  Virgil,  Dante,  Shakspeare  and 
Milton  do  with  us.  Their  works  are  the  classics  of 
these  distant  and  ancient  worlds.  But  even  hei-e 
they  surpass  all  our  ideas  of  grace  and  eloquence  of 
expression.*  I  met  recently  a  Christian,  from  Athens, 
belonging  to  the  first  century;  a  man  learned  in  all  the 
wisdom  of  his  age,  and  who  was  converted  by  the  minis- 
try of  St.  Paul  himself.  He  has  resided  here  for  nearly 
a  century,  devoting  himself  to  the  acqiiisition  of  the  lan- 
guage and  literature  of  these  people ;  and  he  tells  me, 
that  with  all  the  enlarged  powers  of  a  redeemed  soul,  he 
has  but  begun  to  drink  into  the  deep  fountains  of  their 
literature.  '  Nothing,'  he  says,  '  had  inspired  him  with 
such  a  sense  of  their  angelic  goodness  as  their  condescen- 
sion to  the  poverty  of  his  ideas.  But  then  they  regard 
us  as  the  sons  of  God,  and  as  such,  we  are  objects  of 
their  admiration  and  love.  Our  histories  are  more  Avon- 
derful  to  them  than  was  the  story  of  Sinbad,  the  sailor, 
to  us  in  our  childhood.     Only  our  tales  are  real,  and 

*  In  the  German  edition  of  the  "  Seeress  of  Prevorst,"  by  Justinua  Kerner, 
there  is  a  specimen  of  the  writing  of  the  spirit-world  into  which  Frederica  Hauflo 
(known  to  the  world  as  Sefiei'irm  von  Prevorst)  was  admitted,  and  which  she  wrote 
while  in  her  trance-state.  This  plate  was  shown  by  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Eliakim 
Phelps  to  his  son,  while  in  one  of  his  singular  states  of  suffering,  when  he  took  the 
book  and  cried  out  with  astonishment,  "Who  wrote  these  characters?  They  are 
the  symbols  of  great  thoughts — thoughts  I  have  no  words  to  express."  His  father 
asked  him  "  if  he  cou^d  not  give  him  some  idea  of  these  symbols?"  After  think- 
ing, his  son  replied,  "  No  ;  they  transcend  all  our  ideas." 


60  TIIK   GATES    WUn<:   Oi'i:X;   OR, 

they  often  aslc  questions  as  to  our  intentions  and  motives 
of  action  in  our  lives  on  earth,  which  lie  beyond  all  our 
capacities  to  answer.  We  are,  indeed,  infants  in  com- 
parison, but  in  their  regard,  we  are,  all  of  us.  Infantas 
of  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords." 

They  were  now  joined  by  Peter's  angel  and  Godfreyv- 
who  accompanied  them  in  their  walk  down  the  long 
aisles  of  this  magnificent  temple,  and  detained  them, 
calling  their  attention  to  objects  of  interest  worthy  their 
special  regard.  On  reaching  the  open  air,  Mr.  Laurens 
asked  leave  of  the  angel  to  take  his  friend  Peter  home 
with  him — a  request  which  was  cheerfully  granted. 

"  He  is  at  liberty  to  follow  his  intuitions  here  without 
any  further  guidance,"  said  the  angel. 

After  taking  leave  of  Godfrey  and  the  angel,  with 
many  thanks  for  the  pleasure  they  had  derived  from 
attending  this  oratorio,  Mrs,  Jay  and  Peter,  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  Laurens,  rose  with  him  into  the  air,  to  a 
height  whence  they  could  look  down  upon  the  city  and 
its  inhabitants,  as  from  some  tall  monument. 

Laurens  pointed  out  the  many  great  public  edifices 
encircling  vast  areas  and  gardens  filled  with  fountains 
and  works  of  art.  "  That  massive  structure  is  the  Vati- 
can of  this  Rome  ;  but,  imlike  the  Vatican  of  our  Rome, 
there  are  no  bars  and  bolts  to  be  drawn  to  give  the  freest 
access  to  its  spacious  halls,  and  when  these  are  opened,  no 
envious  lock  is  put  upon  the  doors  of  the  cases  which  con- 
tain the  books  collected  in  the  Vatican  for  show,  m  this 


SCENT'S    IN    ANOTIIEK    WOELD.  61 

Alexandrian  library  for  all  people.  That  noLle  building, 
to  the  right  of  the  library,  is  the  Academy  of  Art;  the 
left  wing,  which  extends  five  hundred  yards,  is  devoted 
to  the  school  of  Sculpture,  and  the  right  wing  to  the 
school  of  Design.  Students  are  supported  at  the  public 
expense ;  for  the  citizens  of  this  world  regard  painting 
and  sculpture  as  the  chief  agencies  of  refinement  and 
progress. 


«  * 


*  Dante  thus  speaks  of  sculpture  audits  uses  in  his  Vision  of  Purgatory,  Canto  X. 
On  being  admitted  to  the  gate  of  purgatory,  Dante,  accompanied  by  Virgil,  ascend- 
ed a  winding  path.  On  the  side  of  the  mountain  was  seen,  in  white  marble,  stories 
of  humility,  and  whilst  they  were  contemplating  them,  there  approached  the  souls 
of  those  who  expiate  the  sin  of  pride,  and  who  are  bent  down  beneath  the  weight 
of  heavy  stones.     The  bass-reliefs  are  thus  described  : 

"  I  discovered  that  the  bank,  around, 

Whose  proud  uprising  all  ascent  denied, 

Was  marble  white  ;  and  so  exactly  wrought 

With  quaintest  sculpture,  that  not  there  alone 

Had  Polycletus,  but  e'en  nature's  self 

Been  sham'd.    The  angel  (who  came  down  to  earth 

With  tidings  of  the  peace,  so  many  years 

Wept  for  in  vain,  that  op'd  the  heavenly  gates 

From  their  long  interdict),  before  us  seem'd, 

In  a  sweet  act,  so  sculptured  to  the  life 

He  look'd  no  silent  image.     One  had  sworn 

He  had  said  '  Hail !'  "—Line  88. 

In  Canto  XII.,  Dante  thus  describes  the  wonderful  Mosaics  he  saw  in  Purgatory 
while  traversing  the  first  cornice  : 

"  What  master  of  the  pencil  or  the  style 
Had  trac'd  the  shades  and  lines,  that  might  have  made 
The  subtlest  workman  wonder?    Dead,  the  dead  ; 
The  living  seem'd  alive :  with  clearer  view, 
His  eye  beheld  not,  who  beheld  the  truth, 
Than  mine  what  I  did  tread  on." — Line  62. 


62  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  What  can  that  immense  pile  of  building  contain  ?" 
asked  Peter,  pointing  to  a  quadrangular  building  that 
inclosed  miles  of  area. 

"That  is  their  museum  of  ancient  art  and  history. 
You  will  find  it  extremely  interesting  to  study  the 
growth  of  art  from  the  earliest  age  to  the  present," 

"  I  think  I  shall  like  to  make  my  home  here,"  said  Mrs. 
Jay,  "  so  soon  as  I  have  done  with  our  earth." 

"  Do  you  expect  to  survive  your  sympathies  at  an  early 
day  ?"  asked  Laurens.  "  I  have  seen  those  who  Hved  cen- 
turies since  as  deeply  concerned  in  the  affairs  of  our  world 
as  we  are  who  have  left  our  loved  ones  behind  us." 

The  city,  and  its  wide  suburbs  having  been  fully 
scanned,  Laurens  proposed  they  should  hasten  their 
flight,  and  with  the  swiftness  of  angels  they  swept  over 
plains  and  mountains  until  they  came  to  the  happy  valley 
of  the  Redeemed.  This  lay  within  an  amphitheatre  of 
mountains  whose  j)eaks  pierced  the  clouds.  The  palace 
with  its  wide-spread  wings  and  many  pillared  porticoes, 
stood  in  the  centre  of  a  paradise  filled  with  wildernesses 
of  shade  and  sunshine.  Sculptured  fountains  threw  up 
high  into  the  air  vast  plumes  of  crystal  waters,  flashing 
brightness  all  around.  Groups  of  statuary  filled  the 
walks  Avith  beauty.  Some  stood  on  pedestals  so  low  and 
with  such  life-like  action  as  to  arrest  the  eye  and  inspire 
the  doubt  whether  they  were  works  of  ait.  But  if  all 
stood  instinct  with  life,  it  was  a  life  of  love  and  beauty. 
No  Laocoon  and  his  sons  writhing  m  agony — no  dying 


SCENES    IN    ANOTDEE    WORLD.  63 

gladiator,  with  eyes  swimming  iu  death,  was  to  be  seen, 
recalHiig  the  m.iseries  of  a  fallen  world.  Nothing  of  all 
this,  but  all  that  art,  and  skiU  and  labor  could  create  was 
here,  combining  to  make  this  one  of  the  "  many  mansions" 
prepared  by  the  Saviour  for  the  home  of  his  disciples. 
Nor  was  this  all ;  in  the  distance  was  seen  a  lake  of  many 
miles  upon  whose  surface  lay  islands  of  differing  area, 
covered  mth  classic  temples  filled  with  statuary.  Lau- 
rens told  his  friends,  it  was  accounted  a  glorious  achieve- 
ment for  a  native  artist  to  make  a  group  worthy  of 
a  place  in  this  home  of  the  Redeemed. 

These  beautiful  grounds  were  filled  with  guests — some 
threading  the  shaded  walks,  some  sailing  on  the  lake, 
others  gathered  in  sweet  converse  beneath  trees  of  trans- 
cendental beauty.  Music  from  far-off  choirs,  who  were 
seated  in  the  arbors  and  on  the  turf,  mmgled  sweetly 
with  the  melodies  of  birds. 

Alighting  in  the  gardens  of  the  palace,  the  attention 
of  our  friends  was  attracted  by  a  singular  trial  of  skill 
between  a  beautiful  creature,  "native  here,"  and  a  mock- 
ing-bird which  sat  on  the  highest  branch  of  a  lofty  tree. 
The  bird  would  trill  and  rise  with  a  transition  of  hght- 
.ning  speed,  and  then,  as  in  circles,  come  back  to  the  note 
from  which  it  started.  The  young  girl  would  repeat 
every  trill,  rise  to  the  same  note,  and  with  like  circling 
melody  return  to  the  point  of  departure.  Then  again  the 
bird  would  strive  with  new  and  more  difficult  notes  to 
surpass  all  competition ;  and  as  the  contest  went  on,  fliglits 


64  THE  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

of  singing  birds  gathered  in  the  Ibranches ;  and  when  the 
bird  coukl  go  no  higher,  it  rose  on  its  wings  and  flew 
away.  Then  as  with  one  consent  all  the  birds  burst  forth 
into  joyous  song,  filling  the  air  with  heaven-inspired 
harmonies. 

Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  were  delighted.  They  approached 
the  young  girl,  and  in  the  choicest  phrase  they  could 
command,  told  her  of  their  admiration  of  her  powers. 
Mrs,  Jay  said,  "  she  had  been  charmed  by  the  beauty  of 
her  notes.  On  earth  she  had  had  the  pleasure  of  listening 
to  the  notes  of  Malibran  and  Jenny  Lind ;  but  their  notes 
were  not  to  be  cpmpared  "with  hers."  And  Peter,  not  to 
be  outdone  by  Mrs.  Jay,  assured  the  girl  that  "  there  were 
thousands  on  earth  who  would  be  glad  to  exchange  their 
golden  eagles  for  her  winged  not?cs,  which  had  this  advan 
tage  that  they  would  '■pass  current '  everywhere ;  defy- 
ing, as  they  did,  both  competition  and  counterfeit." 

The  girl  looked  up,  reading  their  meaning  in  their 
eyes  and  the  tones  of  their  voices,  while  Laurens  stood 
listening  with  an  amused  air  at  the  elaborate  compliments 
of  his  friends,  Peter's  especially.  When  they  had  finished, 
the  girl  made  a  graceful  courtesy  and  ran  toward  her 
friends  who  were  awaiting  her  return ;  to  please  whom 
this  trial  of  skUl  -with  the  mocking-bird  had  been  at- 
tempted. 

"  Those  were  very  pretty  compliments,"  said  Laurens, 
"  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  that  sweet  creature  did 
not  understand  a  word  you  said." 


SCENES    IN   ANOTlIEIi    WORLD.  65 

"  Pray  tell  me,"  said  Peter,  "  is  tlicre  no  universal  lan- 
guage understood  Ly  beings  of  all  worlds  ?  " 

"  I  know  of  none,"  replied  Laurens,  "  unless  it  be  musi- 
cal sounds.*  That  sweet  girl,  though  she  did  not  under- 
stand the  precise  thoughts  expressed  by  Mrs.  Jay  and 
yourself,  yet  guessed  your  meanmg  in  your  tones — the 
intuitive  sympathy  which  pervades  sinless  beings  of  all 
worlds." 

"  My  previous  conceptions  are  so  unlike  what  I  find  to 
be  real,"  said  Peter ;  "  and  yet  in  many  things  there  is  a 
delightful  realization  of  my  day-dreams  on  earth.  But 
this  learning  various  languages  in  various  worlds  is  all 
new  to  me.  I  had  sripposed  we  would  have  been  born 
into  the  knowledge  of  language  just  as  Adam  was.  By 
the  by — ^have  you  met  with  Adam  and  Eve,  and  where 
are  they  to  be  seen  ?" 

*  Mendelssohn,  on  Iiis  return  from  Scotland,  was  asked  by  his  sisters  to  tell  them 
something  of  the  Hebrides.  "That  cannot  be  told,"  said  he,  "it  can  only  be 
played"  and  seating  himself  at  the  piano,  he  improvised  the  beautiful  theme 
which  he  afterward  expanded  into  the  "  Overture  to  Fingal's  Cave." — Quarterly 
Hevieie. 

"The  art  of  music,  whose  power  has  been  acknowledged  by  the  most  powerful 
thinkers  of  all  ages,  is  of  later  growth  than  her  sisters — poetry,  sculpture  and  paint- 
ing; and  its  means  of  communicating  ideas  are  also  less  positive  and  direct;  but 
the  principles  which  govern  its  manifestations  are  strictly  analogous,  and  we 
cognize  in  its  very  vagueness  that  yearning  after  the  infinite,  that  feeling  of  ineffa- 
ble loveliness,  which,  by  the  electrical  rapidity  of  its  action  upon  the  mind,  the 
slow  deductions  of  reason  and  all  powers  of  analysis,  approaches  the  divine  in  its 
bright  mystery  and  inexplicable  influence  upon  our  sentiments  and  emotions." 

Sir  J  F.  W.  Herschell  says  (Discourse  on  the  study  of  Natural  Pliilosoiiliy,  p.  1S6), 
"  the  sense  of  harmony  is  perhaps  the  only  instance  of  a  sensation  for  whose  pleas- 
ing impression  a  distinct  and  intelligible  reason  can  be  assigned." 


bb  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  No,  I  have  not,"  replied  Laurens ;  "  indeed,  I  have 
met  with  no  one  of  the  celebrities  of  the  Holy  ScriiDtnres. 
I  have  inquired  very  diligently  after  the  apostle  Paul, 
whom,  of  all  redeemed  men,  I  have  longed  most  to  see  ; 
for  Paul  has  ever  been  regarded  by  me  as  my  ideal  of  a 
Christian,  and  a  man.*  I  want  to  ask  him  about  those 
questions  'hard  to  be  understood'  by  St.  Peter  himself" 

"And  do  you  ttnnk"  asked  Mrs.  Jay,  "that  St.  Paul 
can  succeed  any  better  in  heaven  than  on  earth,  in  doing 
away  with  all  difficulties  in  religion  ?" 

"  Perhaps  not,"  said  Mr,  Laurens,  "  but  I  would  like  to 
hear  him  pour  out  his  eloquence,  discoursing  to  the  beings 
of  other  worlds  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ.  As  for  the 
paradoxes  and  enigmas  of  human  life,  they  remain  to  my 
mind  now  what  they  ever  were,  inexplicable.  Paul,  in 
his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  fairly  stated  the  question  of 
questions  when  he  made  his  mterlocutor  Jew  say,  "  Why 
doth  God  find  fault?  for  who  hath  resisted  his  will?"  to 
which  Paul  had  no  other  reply  to  make  than  this,  "  Nay, 
but,  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God  ? 
Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it,  '  Why 
hast  thou  made  me  thus  ?'  Is  there  unrighteousness  with 
God  ?     God  forbid !"  f     And  why  did  he  end  thus,  but 

*  Archbishop  Whately,  "  Future  State,"  p.  215,  says,  "  The  highest  enjoyment  of 
the  blessed  will  be  the  personal  knowledge  of  their  great  and  beloved  Master ;  yet 
I  cannot  but  think  that  some  part  of  their  happiness  will  consist  in  an  intimate 
knowledge  of  the  greatest  of  his  followers  also;  and  of  those  in  particular,  whose 
peculiar  qualities  are,  to  each,  most  particularly  attractive." 

t  Rom.  ix.,  20. 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  67 

because  that  was,  for  earth  certamly,  and  it  may  be  in 
heaven  too,  the  end  of  the  discussion.  In  time,  this  great 
stone  of  stumbhng  and  rock  of  offence,  was  the  test  of 
dociUty  of  the  soul.  If  the  proud  heart  of  man  would  not 
submit  itself  to  God,  and  to  such  evidence  of  his  attributes 
as  were  made  manifest  in  his  works,  his  ways,  and  his 
word,  he  perished  of  necessity." 

"  Necessity !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Jay — "  there's  another  of 
those  mystic  words  which  on  earth  have  made  my  head 
ache  with  thinking," 

"  And  would  forever,"  replied  Laurens,  "  if  you  could 
again  entertam  those  rebellious  thoughts  which  gave  rise 
to  all  such  speculations.  The  answer  here  is,  as  there, 
'  Shall  not  the  judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?'  When 
I  say  I  long  to  see  Paul,  it  is  to  listen  to  his  glowing 
eloquence  as  he  discourses  of  the  height,  and  depth,  and 
length  and  breadth  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus — • 
wliich  passeth  knowledge.  That  was  his  theme  in  time, 
and  it  is  that  which  bums  and  brightens  and  hallows  in  his 
great  and  glorious  soul ;  and  he  is  now,  in  far-off  worlds, 
making  known  to  principalities  and  j^owers  in  heavenly 
places,  the  mystery  of  the  manifold  wisdom  and  love  of 
God  in  the  redemption  of  the  world ;  mysteries  angels 
have  desired  and  still  desire  to  look  into ;  hid  in  the  ages 
that  are  past  and  now  revealed  in  tis  and  hy  us  to  unknown 
realms.  Everywhere,  as  here,  humanity  is  the  most  glo- 
rious mystery  of  God's  greatness  and  goodness.  We  are 
not  so  beautiful  nor  so  gifted  as  those  around  us ;  we  have 


68  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

little  of  their  grace  of  movement,  little  of  that  sm-passing 
intelligence  beaming  ia  their  lustrous  eyes,  and  finding  ex- 
pression in  voices  ever  changing  in  melody,  and  in  forms 
of  speech  mexpressibly  sweet.  But  they  recognize  us  to 
be  sons  of  God,  by  the  robes  of  light  we  wear,  by  the 
halo  which  burns  upon  our  foreheads,  and  by  powers 
put  forth  by  us  which  fill  them  with  wondermg  admira^ 
tion." 

"  I  am  sure  there  exists  a  universal  language,  though 
you  may  never  have  heard  of  it,"  said  Peter.  "  And 
how  convenient  it  would  have  been  had  I  known  it  this 
morning,  when  I  addressed  my  next  neighboi"." 

Laurens,  smiling,  replied,  "It  is  not  God's  way  of  work- 
ing. We  are  not  horn  to  the  knowledge  of  anything, 
and  Adam  and  Eve  probably  had  no  vocabulary  taught 
to  them  beyond  their  immediate  wants.  You  must  not 
mistake  MUt'on's  epic  for  Bible  truth.  I  am  sure  it  will 
be  our  hapijiness  to  be  forever  pupils  in  the  schools  of 
creation,  providence  and  grace." 

"  It  may  be  so,"  said  Peter,  with  some  reluctance, 
"  but  I  had  my  own  notions  of  these  matters  from  my 
earliest  days,  and  always  believed  Avhen  I  reached  hea- 
ven I  should  be  endowed  with  all  knowledge  by  mtui- 
tion,  and  that  I  should  speak  all  languages  and  mider- 
stand  all  science  and  art — in  a  word,  that  I  should  know 
all  things  comprehensible  to  a  finite  being.  But  here  I 
am,  a  child  new-born,  with  powers  unknown,  and  with 
demands    upon    my   time   which   wiU   absorb    eternity 


SCENES   IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  69 

itself.  I  am  astounded  at  the  outset,  in  view  of  such 
multitudinous  objects  which  demand  my  attention." 

"  Ah,  wait,  and  you  will  become  teachable,"  said  Lau- 
rens. "When  we  find  ourselves  free  from  earth,  Hke 
birds  let  loose  in  eastern  skies,  we  rise  high  into  the  air, 
and  wheel  round  and  roimd  in  vast  circles,  as  if  in  doubt 
as  to  our  pathway ;  but  we  are  soon  satisfied  with  our 
large  liberty,  and  are  sweetly  led  to  trace  that  lumi- 
nous path  of  progress  towards  the  Infinite  which  our 
Saviour  selects  for  us.  It  seems  to  me  of  all  worlds 
my  lot  is  cast  in  the  one  I  love  best ;  but  so  every  one 
says." 

"  Mr.  Laurens,"  asked  Mrs.  Jay,  "  will  you  please  tell 
me  what  difierence  exists  in  your  perceptions  in  this  life, 
as  contrasted  with  the  past  ?  Let  us  hear  what  you  have 
to  say,  for  you  always  loved  metaphysical  investigations, 
and  I  want  to  compare  notes." 

"I  do  not  see  any  difference  in  kind,"  rei^lied  Mr. 
Laurens.  "  In  the  Avorld,  we  lived  wdth  God  all  about 
us,  Avithoiit  the  consciousness  of  his  omnipresence ;  as, 
while  we  saw  objects  in  the  light  of  the  sun,  for  days  it 
may  have  been,  we  never  once  looked  up  at  the  sun. 
But  here  all  is  changed;  with  every  new  development 
of  science  the  Infinite  is  present  to  us,  and  in  every  new 
manifestation  of  loveliness,  in  art  or  nature,  we  see  the 
Author  of  Beauty.  In  those  lovely  forms,"  pointing  to 
a  group  of  statuary,  "  we  see  the  attempt  of  the  artist 
to  realize  an  ideal  existinsr  in  God.     And  thus  it  is  we 


70  TUE  GATES  TVIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

live  in  the  conscious  presence  of  our  Creator,  Redeemer, 
and  Sanctifier—Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost — one 
God !"  and  so  saying,  Laurens  folded  his  hands  over  his 
bosom,  and  bowed  his  head. 

Recovering  himself  fi-om  his  high  rapture,  Laurens  led 
his  friends  to  a  beautiful  marble  pavilion,  and  while 
ascending  the  steps,  they  discovered  a  lady  engaged  in 
reading.  She  rose  with  graceful  dignity,  and  with  a 
smile  of  courtesy  welcomed  their  coming. 

Laurens  leading  the  way  introduced  Mrs.  Jay  and 
Peter  to  this  sjilendid  woman  as  St.  Perpetua. 

Mrs.  Jay  looked  her  surprise  at  hearing  such  a'title 
conferred  in  a  world  where  all  are  alike  saints;  and 
after  they  had  taken  seats  on  a  sofa  together,  she 
said  to  the  lady:  "It  is  the  first  time  I  have  heard 
this  title  conferred  upon  any  one  since  leaving  our 
world." 

St.  Perpetua,  with  a  smile,  repUed,  "  I  was  an  inhabit- 
ant of  heaven  for  three  centuries  before  I  ever  dreamed 
of  having  any  peculiar  claims  to  this  title,  which  is  here 
used  only  because  it  has  become  historical  on  earth.  I 
perceive  you  are  no  Romanist?" 

"  No,  indeed,  madam.  I  am  most  Protestant,  and  a 
member  of  the  Anglo-Saxon,  American  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church." 

"Do  you  claim  to  be  still  a  communicant  of  Trinity?" 
asked  Peter. 

. "  I   claim  to  be  a  member  of  Trinity  Church  still," 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER    WORLD.  71 

said  Mrs.  Jay  in  tones  of  voice  a  little  brnsquc.  "  I  do 
not  lose  my  fellowship  with  saints  on  earth  by  becoming 
a  samt  in  heaven.     What  says  St.  Perpetua  ?" 

This  lady  at  once  assured  Mrs.  Jay  of  her  entire 
concurrence  with  her  views,  though  she  never  had  the 
matter  presented  to  her  mind  in  just  these  terms. 

"  May  I  inquire,  St.  Perpetua,"  asked  Mrs.  Jay,  "  why 
you  said  I  was  no  Romanist  ?" 

"With  pleasure,"  she  replied,  "for  had  you  been 
familiar  with  the  Romish  calendar,  you  would  have  seen 
my  name  set  against  the  seventh  of  March,  and  in  any 
edition  of  the  'Lives  of  Saints,'  you  would  have  read 
some  account  of  my  martyrdom  under  Emperor  Se- 
verus." 

"  Will  you  not,  in  pity  of  my  ignorance,"  said  Mrs. 
Jay,  "  tell  me  by  what  sufferings  you  reached  this  crown 
of  glory,  to  be  a  Roman  saint  ?" 

"  Do  you  not  prefer  the  epithet,  this  '  bad  eminence  ?' " 
asked  Perpetua,  smiling. 

"  O  no,"  replied  Mrs.  Jay ;  "  it  may  be  that  the  Rom- 
ish church  have  canonized  bad  men,  but  I  have  always 
believed  such  must  have  been  but  exceptions,  and  that 
piety — eminent  piety,  has  worn  this  crown  of  glory  in 
all  ages." 

"To-morrow,"  said  St.  Perpetua,  "I  will  with  plea- 
sure tell  you  of  my  early  history.  Now  the  hour  has 
come  for  our  vesper  songs.  Let  us  go  to  the  temple. 
See !  the  Redeemed  are  all  in  motion." 


72  THE  GATES  WIDE   OPEN;  Oli, 

They  rose,  aud  Perpetua  taking  the  arm  of  Mrs.  Jay 
led  the  way.  From  every  direction,  from  the  palace 
and  garden  walks  thronged  a  multitude  of  persons  all 
tending  with  elastic  steps  towards  their  place  of  worship. 

Perpetua  led  them  by  a  mazy  walk  through  deep 
shades,  out  of  which  they  emerged  in  front  of  a  pile 
whose  magnificence  exceeded  all  their  powers  of  imag- 
.  ination.  It  was  another  Milan  cathedral,  whose  niches 
were  filled  with  statuary  and  whose  fayade  was  covered 
over  with  frost-work  of  the  chisel.  Its  high  spire  and 
many  minarets  flamed  with  polished  gold;  and  grand 
and  sublune  as  was  the  new  St.  Peter's  of  Michael 
Angelo,  this  far  surpassed  it  in  splendor.  Perpetua 
enjoyed  the  surprise  of  our  friends ;  and  allowing  them 
ample  time  to  make  all  their  exclamations  of  delight, 
she  aided  them  to  a  glimpse  of  the  arcana  of  archi- 
tecture to  awaken  sentiments  of  subhmity.  This  occu- 
pied some  little  time ;  for  both  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  were 
slow  to  realize  the  relations  of  form  and  color  and  orna- 
ment in  a  great  edifice  to  fiU  the  soul  with  a  sense  of 
grandeur.  As  yet  they  were  beginners  in  the  science  of 
beauty  and  art. 

"Let  us  go  on,"  said  Perpetua.  "At  some  future 
period  I  will  help  you  to  an  idea  of  the  laws  of  rela- 
tion which  make  every  line,  curve,  window,  moulding, 
niche,  ornament,  statue  and  minaret,  up  to  the  lofty 
spire,  symbolic  and  necessary  to  completeness ;  that  this 
temple  may  meet  the  soul's  aspirations  after  the  sublime. 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHEK   WORLD.  73 

These  laws  were  felt  and  sought  after  by  the  architects 
of  Greece  and  Italy,  and  builders  of  later  days.  The 
structures  you  see  on  this  globe  have  in  some  measure 
succeeded ;  but  what  perfection  is,  we  do  not  know  and 
never  can  attain  unto." 

When  they  entered  the  spacious  vestibule,  and  thence 
mto  the  temple,  they  were  tempted  to  pause  at  every 
step  to  gaze  with  Avoudering  admiration  on  every  side. 
The  ceiling  was  upheld  by  pillars  of  marble,  veined  with 
glittering  ores.  These  were  spiral  and  covered  with 
sculptured  vines,  and  flowers  and  fruits — resembling 
nature  in  her  most  perfect  forms.  Nor  was  this  all; 
the  roof  hung  down  with  the  lightness  of  a  grove  of 
majestic  elms,  and  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun  poured 
doAvn  upon  the  multitude  already  assembled  hke  stealthy 
rays  through  rich  foliage.  To  Mrs.  Jay  the  interior 
looked  Uke  a  magnificent  arbor  of  tall  trees,  stems, 
fruits  and  flowers,  green  and  golden,  rather  than  a  work 
of  labor  and  art. 

The  choir,  as  it  would  be  called  on  earth,  occupied 
the  altar  and  transepts.  The  organ  with  its  pipes  rose 
like  a  wall  of  gold ;  and  the  orchestra  and  singers  were 
more  numerous  than  at  the  Metropolitan  Temple. 
Handel,  Haydn,  Mozart  and  Beethoven  were  already 
hi  their  places,  and  crowds  thronged  in  through  the 
many  entrances  and  swept  onward  to  their  appointed 
places. 

No  sooner  had  Perpetua  seated  her  companions,  and 
4 


74  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

was  giving  Peter  and  Mrs.  Jay  some  explanations  of  the 
scene  before  them,  than  a  beautiful  boy  and  girl  came 
threading  their  way  up  the  aisles  to  where  they  sat,  and 
delivered  a  message  from  St.  Cecilia  to  Laurens,  inviting 
him  to  play  her  violoncello.  This  high  distmction, 
Laurens,  with  his  wonted  modesty  declined ;  but  St.  Per- 
petua  laid  her  commands  on  him,  speaking  as  one  who 
had  a  right  to  decide  for  him  his  course  of  action,  and 
with  a  pleased  reluctance  he  was  led  by  these  graceful 
messengers,  each  one  holding  him  by  the  hand,  to  the 
orchestra.  As  he  ascended  the  steps,  he  was  met  by 
the  beautiful  saint,  whose  fame  for  music  has  filled  the 
world.  She  was  a  being  of  dazzling  beauty.*  With  a 
smile  of  inexpressible  sweetness,  she  took  Laurens' 
hand,  and  led  him  to  his  seat,  when  she  presented  him 
her  violoncello.     This  done,  she  at  once  ascended  the 

*  St.  Cecilia  has  been  the  admiration  of  the  world  for  her  beauty.  That  old 
Protestant,  Fox,  in  his  Martyrology  (book  i.,  a.d.,  222)  says  of  St.  Cecilia,  that 
having  converted  her  husband,  Valerien,  and  her  brother,  Tiburtius,  to  the  faith 
of  Christ,  she  was  apprehended  and  brought  to  the  idols  to  sacrifice,  and  refusing, 
was  condemned  to  death.  "  In  the  meantime,"  says  Fox,  following  the  legends  of 
the  Roman  church,  "  the  sergeants  and  officers  about  her  beholding  her  comely 
beauty,  began  with  many  persuasive  words  to  solicit  her  to  favor  herself,  and  such 
excellent  beauty,  and  not  to  cast  herself  away.  But  she  replied  to  them  with 
such  reasons  and  godly  exhortations,  that,  by  the  grace  of  Almighty  God,  their 
hearts  began  to  kindle,  and  at  length  to  yield  to  that  religion  which  before  they 
persecuted."  She  converted  upwards  of  four  hundred  persons,  and  among  them 
a  noble  named  Gordian,  before  her  martyrdom  by  the  axe." 

The  tale  of  St.  Cecilia  is  closely  copied  by  Chaucer,  in  "  The  Second  Nonne's 
Tale,"  from  the  golden  legend  of  Jacob  Jannensis.  She  was  also  the  theme  of  St. 
Aldhelm's  panegyric  in  his  poem  in  praise  of  Virginity. 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  75 

pedestal  assigned  her  as  the  Coiypheus  of  the  choir. 
The  overture  was  overpowering  to  both  Peter  and  Mrs. 
Jay.  They  sat  in  breathless  astonishment  as  they  lis- 
tened. Then  canie  recitations  celebrating  the  glory  of 
Christ,  not  less  eloquent  in  the  thought  than  its  expres- 
sion, both  alike  perfect  in  the  rendermg.  Of  the  themes 
sung,  Perpetua  kindly  acted  as  the  interpreter  to  her 
new-found  friends. 

There  sat  Laurens,  his  ear  fondly  inclined  to  his  vio- 
loncello, listening  with  a  pleased  air  to  the  sounds  it 
gave  forth  at  the  sweep  of  his  bow.  It  was  nearly  two 
hours,  and  it  may  have  been  more,  the  vesper  service 
lasted,  and  yet  no  sign  of  weariness  or  exhaustion  was 
sho^Ti  by  the  choir  or  orchestra ;  for  indeed  none  was 
felt,  but  rather  a  fresh  inspiration  of  strength  from  on 
liigh.  And  when  the  whole  audience  rose  in  singing  the 
Hymn  to  the  Trinity,  the  divine  presence  was  made 
manifest  by  a  halo  of  light  which  filled  the  temple  with 
ineflfable  glory. 

Time  was  no  more.  The  entire  audience  of  saints 
and  servitors  rose  and  sang  "  Gloria  in  Excelsis."  This 
ended,  the  Redeemed,  imaided  and  alone,*  sang  their 
sono-,  forever  new — "  Unto  Him  that  hath  loved  us  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made 
us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  His  Father ;  to  him 
be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever.   Amen." 

On  leaving  the  temple,  to  their  surprise,  Perpetua  and 

*  Revelations,  xiv.  3. 


76  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

our  friends  found  it  was  night.  The  heavens  were  lit  up 
with  stars  and  moons.  Filled  with  awe  and  love  at  what 
they  had  just  witnessed,  they  went  to  the  palace.  Per- 
petua,  having  first  commended  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  to 
the  hospitalities  of  the  mayor  of  tke  palace,  who 
received  them  with  great  consideration,  left  them  for  the 
night.  They  were  shown  into  a  spacious  hall  sj)lendidly 
lighted,  where  they  sat  doAvn  conversing  with  Laurens 
on  all  they  had  seen  during  the  day,  till  servitors  of 
hoth  sexes  came  to  show  them  to  their  several  apart- 
ments. Thus  ended  with  our  friends  their  first  day  spent 
in  the  delightful  circles  of  this  new  world. 


SCEiraiS  IN  ANOTHER  WOULD.  77 


CHAPTER  IV. 

St.  Perpetua  sends  Persis  to  Mrs.  Jay  with  a  Message — Their  Conversation — The 
Idea  of  Married  Life  entertained  by  Persis  — Her  Admiration  of  Mrs.  Jay — 
Scenes  on  Silver  Lake — Mrs.  Jay  joins  Perpetua,  who  relates  the  Story  of  her 
Martyrdom  at  Carthage — Of  her  appearance  before  Hilarion — Scene  in  the 
Amphitheatre— Her  Companions  in  Martyrdom — Of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church — 
The  Similarity  of  Pagan  and  Papal  Religions  in  Social  Life — St.  Perpetua  and 
Mrs.  Jay  are  joined  by  Faustinas  and  Calliste,  just  returned  after  an  Absence 
of  fourteen  Centuries— Their  Colloquy  with  Mrs.  Jay — Their  Surprise  at  hearing 
of  the  Discovery  of  a  "  New  World " — Mrs.  Jay  describes  her  meeting  Satan, 
the  "Architect  of  Ruin "— Faustinus's  Account  of  the  New  World  whence  he 
has  returned— Public  Opinion  in  Rome,  a.d.  SSO— Roman  Society  of  the  Fourth 
Century— Calliste  tells  the  Story  of  her  Conversion  ;  her  Interviews  with  St.  Paul, 
of  her  Trials  and  Martyrdom. 

The  next  day,  Mrs.  Jay,  as  she  was  walking  through  a 
long  gallery  of  i^aintiiigs,  was  Availed  upon  by  a  young 
native  girl,  with  a  message  from  St.  Perpetua,  to  bring 
Mrs.  Jay  to  an  island,  which  was  a  favorite  haunt  of 
hers,  in  Silver  Lake. 

As  slie  walked  with  the  sweet  girl  through  the  garden, 
Mrs.  Jay  inquired  of  her  her  name  and  duties  in  the 
palace.  The  girl  replied,  "  My  name  is  Persi.s,  Avhich 
name   St.  Perpetua   gave   me  while  an  infant.     I  have 


78  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

grown  up  under  lier  care,  and  she  has  taught  me  your 
tongue,  that  it  miglit  be  useful  to  such  of  our  visitants 
as  come  from  England  and  America." 

"  What  is  your  age,  Persis  ?" 

"  I  am  almost  eighteen,  and  then  I  shall  be  marriage- 
able." 

This  was  said  with  a  joyousness  wliich  spoke  more 
of  earth  than  anything  Mrs.  Jay  had  heard  for  a  long 
time. 

"  Is  it  possible  that  your  happiness  can  be  enhanced 
by  being  married?"  cried  Mrs.  Jay,  with  much  astonish- 
ment. "  I  thought,"  she  contmued,  "  angels  neither 
marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage." 

"  O  yes,  angels ;  but  I  am  so  glad  I'm  not  an  angel ; 
for  I  cannot  conceive  how  any  one  can  but  be  happier 
for  loving  and  being  loved,"  said  the  girl  with  earnest- 
ness. 

"  It  may  be  so  in  this  world,"  replied  Mrs.  Jay ; 
"  but  in  my  world  the  wider  the  target  of  our  bosoms, 
the  more  sure  are  the  shafts  of  death  to  pierce  the 
heart." 

"  What  a  world  that  must  be !"  said  Persis,  Avith  a 
look  of  painful  surprise.  "  All  such  ideas  are  so  terrible 
to  me,  if  indeed  I  do  rightly  appreciate  the  thouglits 
expressed.  No  skill  of  mine  can  reach  the  profundities 
opened  to  my  mind  while  I  listen  to  what  is  told  of  your 
world ;  only  this,  that  by  some  surpassing  manifestation 
of  the  mercy  of  God,  outcasts  from  holiness  and  heaven 


SCENES    IN  .ANOTHER   WORLD.  T9 

have  become  by  adoption,  '  one  -with  God,  as  Christ  and 
God  are  one !' "  And  Persis's  look,  as  she  fixedly  gazed 
upon  the  face  of  Mrs,  Jay  and  its  halo,  and  thence 
at  her  iridescent  robes  which  fell  in  graceful  aud 
ample  folds  at  her  feet,  showed  the  intensity  of  her  awe 
and  admiration  of  beings  so  mysteriously  endowed  by 
the  great  Creator. 

On  reaching  the  shore  of  the  lake,  Persis  pointed  out 
to  Mrs.  Jay  the  island,  aud  asked  her  to  take  a  seat  in  a 
little  skiff  which  she  unfastened  from  a  rock,  to  wliich  it 
had  been  held  by  a  golden  chain. 

"  It  is  unnecessary,  Persis ;  I  can  will  myself  across  the 
water,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  Yes,  but  I  shall  be  pleased  to  accompany  you,  and  I 
want  to  sit  and  listen  to  your  conversation  with  my 
lovely  lady.  Then,  too,  you  will  lose  the  pleasure  only 
to  be  enjoyed  by  sailing  over  our  blue  aud  beautiful 
lake.  You  see  others,  who  could  as  readily  as  yourself 
reach  their  places  of  destination  by  a  vohtion,  rowing 
their  skiffs,  or  who,  by  raising  silken  sails,  are  wafted 
across  the  surface  of  the  water.  Will  you  j^ermit  me  to 
row  you  over  ?" 

"  Oh,  certainly,"  said  Mrs.  Jay ;  and  Persis  ferried  her 
over  in  her  skiff;  her  every  motion  was  the  perfection 
of  grace,  and  Mrs.  Jay  was  pleased  to  think  she  had  not 
lost  the  pleasure  of  witnessing  such  beauty.  The  island 
lay  a  mile  distant,  and  as  they  glided  over  the  rippling 
surface,  skiffs  of  various  forms,  all  alike  beautiful  in  shape, 


80  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

and  managed  with  equal  skill  by  others  as  young  and 
graceful  as  Persis,  passed  rapidly  by  them,  piloted  to 
one  of  the  many  green  gems  of  the  lake ;  some 
fi-eighted  with  many,  some  with  few  of  the  Redeemed, 
who,  thus  surrounded  by  the  loveliest  of  His  works,  were 
keeping  a  new  holiday  with  God. 

As  they  neared  the  island,  which  was  almost  covered 
by  a  temple  of  purest  marble,  they  discovered  Perpetua 
seated  with  a  golden  lyre,  which  gave  forth  sweet  chords 
as  her  fingers  swept  over  the  strings,  soft  as  if  waked 
to  life  by  whispering  zephyrs.  As  they  ascended  the 
marble  steps,  Mrs.  Jay  saw  that  Perpetua  was  rapt  in 
far-off  visions ;  and  her  face,  always  full  of  sweetness  and 
majesty,  was  now  angelic.  The  strain  ended,  and  rest- 
ing the  lyre  on  her  lap,  she  covered  her  face  with  her 
hands,  and  sat  for  a  while  silent. 

Persis  spoke,  and  Perpetua,  rousing  herself,  received 
Mrs.  Jay  with  a  graceful  smUe.  "  I  have  been  mdulging 
myself  with  lofty  and  far-reaching  thoiights  of  the  love 
of  God  in  the  redemption  of  the  world.  '  O  the  heights 
and  the  depths  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and 
knowledge  of  God!  how  unsearchable  are  his  judg- 
ments, and  his  ways  past  finding  out !'  "  * 

This  said,  Perpetua  took  a  seat  beside  Mrs.  Jay,  whUe 
Persis  placed  herself  at  the  feet  of  her  mistress.  After 
calling  the  attention  of  her  guest  to  a  fragrant  flower 
which  twined    about    the    pillar    near    her,    Perpetua 

*  Romans,  xi.  83. 


SCENES    m   ANOTHER   WORLD.  SI 

explained  its  structure,  and  spoke  of  the  botany  in  the 
world  around  them  in  contrast  with  the  Avorld  they  had 
once  inhabited. 

"And  now,  my  dear  lady,  you  may  ask  me  any  ques- 
tions you  please.  What  sllall  I  tell  you  of  myself?" 
said  Perpetua. 

"Tell  me,  my  kind  friend,  the  story  of  your  life, 
or  if  that  be  taskiug  you  too  fai',  of  your  martyrdom. 
When  a  child  I  was  delighted  to  road  in  a  black  letter 
foUo  edition  of  Fox's  Book  of  Martyrs,  of  those  who 
witnessed  a  good  confession  and  won  the  crowns  of  mar- 
tyrdom and  immortality ;  and  now  you  are  the  first  of  all 
that  noble  army  that  I  have  met  with  since  I  Avas  born 
into  eternal  life." 

With  loving  courtesy,  Perpetua,  taldng  the  hand  of 
Mrs,  Jay,  Avhich  she  held  in  both  of  hers,  began,  "  I  suf- 
fered at  Carthage,  with  others,  in  tlie  year  of  Christ 
205,*  My  martyrdom  Avas  the  more  notable  because  I 
belonged  to  the  nobility  of  that  city,  where  I  lived  a 
young  and  happy  wife  and  mother,  surrounded  with  the 
luxuries  of  that  age,  beloved  by  my  husband  and  idol- 
ized by  my  father.  There  had  arisen  in  the  minds  of 
the  people  of  the  great  centres  of  the  empire,  a  feeling 
of  bitter  hatred  to  the  sect  called  Christians ;  Avhieli  was 
the  necessary  antagonism  of  irreconcilable  religions. 
This  had  been  overlooked  at  first,  for  the  emperors  and 
people  of  Rome  were  not  hostile  to  religionists,  '  setters 

*  So  says  Bavonius  in  his  Annals,  liook  ii.     Others  say,  a.d.   210. 

4* 


82  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

forth  of  strange  gods ;'  but  Christianity  knew  notliing 
of  compromise,  and  it  gradually  became  a  question 
which  should  Hve.  While  Christian  teachers  clauned  a 
religion  from  God,  Koman  lohilosophers  believed  they 
had  a  purer  code  of  ethics  in  their  divine  philosophy. 
Then,  too,  the  vulgar  mind  was  full  of  prejudices,  inspired 
by  vile  stories  of  the  Christian  mysteries ;  because  they 
sought,  from  necessity,  to  worshijD  Christ  in  the  vaults 
of  catacombs  and  caverns  of  nature,  where  they  held 
their  love  feasts,  and  partook  of  the  Communion  of  the 
Lord's  Supper.  Nor  were  these  prejudices  lessened  by 
confident  prophecies  made  by  mad  zealots  that  the 
world  was  soon  to  be  burned  up ;  and  too,  the  eloquence 
of  great  men  had  created  in  the  minds  of  Christians 
an  indifference  to  life  and  its  pursuits :  for  as  the  world 
was  soon  to  be  consumed,  there  was  no  w'orth  in  wealth, 
and  by  the  ardent  and  ill-advised,  the  crown  of  martyr- 
dom was  sought  for  as  the  highest  honor,  inasmuch  as 
all  who  suffered  entered  into  the  paradise  of  God  and 
were  crowned  Avith  glory." 

"  How  were  you  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ  ?" 
asked  Mrs.  Jay.  "  What  great  Christian  father  had  for 
his  crown  of  rejoicing  your  enlightenment?" 

"  It  was  no  great  orator  of  the  church  who  brought 
to  me  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God, 
but  a  lovely  boy  v/hom  my  husband  brought  home  to 
me  from  the  slave-market  as  a  gift.  He  was  about 
fifteen  years  of  ago,  and  his  face  beamed  with  gentle- 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHEE   "WORLD.  83 

ncss  and  goodness.  He  took  his  place  with  other  of 
my  servitors,  and  these  were  many.  He  was  most 
hapi^y  to  be  near  me,  and  devoid  of  the  artifices  of  other 
of  my  pages,  was  diligent,  dutifid  and  exact  in  every 
duty.  He  sought  for  no  indulgences  from  me;  and 
when  not  waiting  upon  me,  or  discharging  some  duty, 
was  always  to  be  found  in  the  apartment  assigned  to 
him.  His  beautiful  countenance  shone  with  that  seren- 
ity of  soul,  that  I  loved  to  gaze  upon.  Nor  was  I  alone 
in  this,  for  Claudius,  my  husband,  felt  this  silent  attrac- 
tion of  the  beauty  of  my  boy  Julius.  One  day,  sitting 
alone  together,  we  asked  him  of  his  parentage  and 
education,  and  were  told  he  had  been  born  a  slave 
and  was  brought  up  m  the  family  of  his  master  as 
the  companion  of  his  only  son.  The  master  and  «on 
had  both  suffered  as  Christians,  and  he  had  been  brought 
to  the  fonim  to  be  sold  by  their  relatives.  This  was 
all  he  had  to  say  at  that  thne  ;  and  it  was  of  little  interest 
to  us,  except  that  he  had  been  once  owned  by  one  of 
the  sect  of  Christians.  Claudius  was  attracted  by  this 
fact,  and  made  many  inquiries  as  to  Christ  and  his 
disciples,  and  the  pliilosophy  which  made  Julius  so 
serenely  happy — for  so  Ave  called  it.  Julius  was  glad 
to  tell  us  all  he  knew.  It  was  wonderful  how  well  he 
could  repeat  the  Gospels  and  the  Epistles.  He  never 
owned  a  copy,  but  had  committed  to  memory  most  of 
the  Gospels  of  Luke  and  John,  and  jwrtions  of  the 
Epistles    of   Paul.     We   were   both   interested    in    his 


84  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

recitations  for  theii*  singular  beauty  and  precision. 
Then  Claudius  began  to  talk  of  this  religion,  and 
was  led  by  Julius  to  attend  the  midnight  meetings. 
He  then  procured  a  copy  of  the  Gospel  of  John  and 
Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  which  he  read  daily  to 
me.  In  a  word,  my  dear  lady,  we  unawares  became 
converts  to  the  Christian  faith. 

"  Our  conversion  was  soon  knoAvn ;  for  such  were 
the  demands  made  by  Roman  rites,  that  when  these 
ceased  to  be  conformed  to,  it  Avas  at  once  known  to 
our  household  and  all  who  shared  our  hospitalities, 
that  we  had  become  Christians.  Every  kind  entreaty 
was  made  by  our  relatives  and  friends  to  save  us  from 
being  denounced  to  the  magistracy.  It  was  told  us 
we  should  be  forced  to  recant.  Claudius  lost  no  time 
to  manumit  Julius,  and  to  send  him,  under  conduct 
of  one  of  our  friends  going  into  Greece,  to  Athens, 
where  he  was  born.  We  made  every  possible  pre- 
paration for  whatever  should  betide  us,  in  the  disposi- 
tion of  our  property  and  our  slaves.  This  done,  Ave 
awaited  the  action  of  Hilarion,  then  Pro-Consul  of 
Carthage,  hoping  if  Ave  Avere  to  suffer  the  ordeal  of 
the  Amphitheatre  we  should  stand  together.  Hilarion 
did  not  think  I  could  endure  this  furnace  of  affliction 
alone.  He  had  shared  the  hospitalities  of  our  palace, 
and  had  ever  expressed  a  Avarni  friendship  for  us  both. 

"My  first  trial  was  being  torn  from  my  husband, 
and  taken  Avith  ray  infant  son  to  prison.     There  were 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WOKLD.  86 

five  of  US  IqcI  through  the  narrow  streets  on  foot,  fol- 
lowed by  a  rabble.  A  young  disciple,  named  Satur, 
joined  us,  ambitious  of  sharing  our  fate.  Such  heroism 
was  not  unfrequent  in  those  days,  * 

"  When  I  had  reached  the  vaulted  prison  in  Avhich  we 
were  to  be  confined,  and  seated  on  a  block  of  stone, 
surrounded  with  dirt,  was  nursing  my  boy,  my  vener- 
able father  came  to  visit  me,  and  in  an  agony  of 
tears  besought  me  to  have  pity  on  his  grey  hairs.  He 
kissed  my  hands,  praying  me  to  have  compassion  on  my 
infant  boy,  who  must  die  if  deserted  by  me ;  to  pity  my 
husband ;  and  falling  on  his  knees,  weeping,  called  me  no 
longer  his  daughter,  but  the  mistress  of  his  fate.  Oh,  it 
was  sad,  very  sad ;  but  I  had  the  joy  of  knowing  that, 
except  my  dear  father,  my  husband  and  all  I  loved  best, 
rejoiced  in  my  confession  of  Christ." 

Perpetua  ceased.  "And  is  that  all?  Pray  go  on," 
said  Mrs.  Jay,  earnestly. 

"Do  not  let  me  weary  you,"  said  Perpetua,  "The 
days  following  my  arrest  were  days  of  intense  anguish  ; 
for  I  was  a  daughter,  a  wife,  and  a  young  mother,  accus- 
tomed to  all  the  luxury  of  a  most  luxurious  age.  But  I 
endured  all  the  miseries-  of  my  prison  without  flinching. 
Tlien  my  child  was  taken  from  mo,  and  I  was  brought 

*  In  the  persecution  which  commenced  in  the  tenth  year  of  Severus  (a.d.  202), 
Leonidas,  the  father  of  Origen  was  belicaded.  Origen,  then  a  boy,  was  very 
anxious  to  share  with  his  father  the  glory  of  martyrdom,  and  his  desire  was  frus- 
trated by  his  mother,  who  hid  away  all  his  clothes  and  so  prevented  him  from 
leaving  home.— Syniih's  Dictionary,  Article,  "  Origen." 


86  THE  GATES  AVIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

before  the  governor  in  open  court,  surrounded  by  a  vast 
crowd.  My  imjDrisomnent  had  become  a  matter  for  the 
"wonder  of  Carthage,  and  my  martyrdom  was  to  be  to 
all  classes  a  holiday.  It  was,  therefore,  a  question  of 
interest  whether  I  would  confess  or  recant.  My  poor 
father  brought  to  me  my  infant,  as  I  stood  on  the 
scaffold  before  this  unmense  concourse,  and  besought  me 
to  have  pity  on  my  son.  I  kissed  my  child,  who  was 
held  up  in  his  hands,  but  I  would  not  come  down.  See- 
ing this,  my  father  caught  hold  of  my  dress,  and  strove 
to  pull  me  from  the  scaffold.  Hilarion  at  once  cried 
out  to  the  guards  to  beat  back  my  father,  which  they 
did ;  and  every  blow  he  received  upon  his  head  fell  u2)on 
my  heart.  In  this  hour  of  intense  agony  Christ  was 
near  me.  I  knew  that  my  martyrdom  was  a  necessity 
iu  Carthage,  for  the  success  of  the  religion  of  God  and 
my  Saviour ;  and  that  it  was  mine,  not  only  to  suffer, 
but  dying  to  uphold  the  fainting  faith  of  those  in  like 
condemnation.  The  day  following  was  the  festival  day 
of  the  birth  of  the  emperor,  and  it  was  to  be  made  joy- 
ous to  the  multitude  by  my  martyrdom.  My  compan- 
ions were  Felicitas,  a  young  wife  and  mother  like  myself, 
and  a  nameless  slave ;  so  as  to  heighten  the  contrasts, 
and  make  the  spectacle  the  more  remarkable.  "With 
every  possible  indignity  we  were  led  from  the  prison  to 
the  Amphitheatre. 

"  This  vast  edifice  was  crowded  with  people ;  bench 
above  bench,  to  the  flat  where  the  multitude  stood,  and 


SCENES    IN   ANOTUER   WORLD.  87 

had  stood  for  hours,  while  mauy  who  occupied  the 
benches  had  been  there  all  night,  so  eager  were  they  to 
witness  the  spectacle.  For,  my  dear  lady,  I  may  here  tell 
you  without  vanity,  that  I  was  kno^vn  not  only  for  the 
gifts  of  rank  and  wealth,  but  what  attracted  this  crowd 
more  than  all,  was  the  fame -of  my  beauty;  and  Feli- 
citas,  too,  my  female  companion,  was  not  without  her 
attractions,  and  had  become  a  mother  since  her  impri- 
sonment. When  led  into  the  centre  of  the  circle,  we 
stood  awliile,  to  satisfy  the  gaze  of  the  audience.  This 
done,  we  were  seized  by  the  gladiators  and  stripped 
naked.  Our  shrieks  at  this  indignity  thrilled  the  breasts 
of  the  multitude,  and  while  we  were  being  placed  under 
nets,  preparatory  to  our  exposure  to  wild  beasts,  their 
cries  rose  to  such  a  pitch  of  fury,  that  the  gladiators 
withdrew  the  nets  and  threw  us  back  our  garments 
loose,  to  cover  us.  This  done,  a  cow,  made  wild,  was  let 
into  the  arena,  and  attacked  us,  woimding  and  maiming, 
but  not  killuig  us.  The  audience,  weary  of  this  torture, 
demanded  the  termination  of  our  lives.  One  of  the 
gladiators  came  forward  and  drove  his  sword  into  my 
ribs.  In  my  agony,  I  offered  him  my  throat,  and  he 
gave  me  a  blow  which  set  my  soul  free.  The  story  of 
my  martyrdom  has  been  told  with  many  variations  by 
Beda,  Usardus  and  others.  I  have  told  it  to  you  with- 
out any  of  their  ornaments."  * 

*  The  story  of  the  martyrdom  of  Pcrpetua  has  been  related  with  no  other 


88  THE  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"And  now  I  want  you  to  tell  me,  Perpetua,  if  your 
deatli  was  necessary  ?  The  pro-consul  was  a  personal 
friend  of  yourself  and  family ;  and  was  it  necessary  you 
should  inflict  such  misery  upon  your  father  and  your 
husband,  and  then,  too,  to  desert  that  infant  hoy? 
Could  it  be  that  all  this  was  demanded  of  you  ?"  asked 
Mrs.  Jay,  wath  a  shuddering  emotion.  "  My  dear  Per- 
petua, I  have  the  impression  that  those  '  old  men  elo- 
quent '  of  the  early  church,  inspired  Christians  with  a 
mad  zeal  for  martyrdom ;  and  that  Roman  magistrates 
were  taunted  to  become  their  murderers." 

"  I  have  never  doubted  that  my  pourmg  forth  was  a 
duty  I  owed  to  my  Saviour,"  replied  Perpetua,  with 
great  solemnity.  "He  died  on  the  cross  for  me,  and 
had  a  right  to  claim  my  martyrdom  in  the  Amphitheatre 
at  Carthage." — This  said,  Perpetua  assumed  her  usual 
sweet  and  lovely  air  and  manner,  adding,  "  The  early 
fathers  doubtless  erred  in  many  things,  and  their  elo- 
quence did  produce  the  eflects  you  have  named;  but, 
madam,  what  age  is  free  from  error?  Not  your  age, 
certainly,  and  how  much  less  mine.  And  I  must  say  in 
its  defence,  I  have  never  seen  an  age  like  that  which 
produced  Athanasius,  Basil,  Gregory,  Ambrose,  Chry- 
sostom  and  Jerome;  men  whose  ardor  led  them  to 
reach  after  impracticable  virtues,  and  to  regard  marriage 
itself,  in  the  language  of  St.  Gregory  of  Nyssa,  himself 

change,  than  the  incident  of  her  clothes  being  given  bacli,  which,  though  not  true 
of  her,  is  a  fact  in  Martyrology. 


SCENES    EST   ANOTHER   WOELD.  89 

a  married  man,  as  '  the  prologue  to  all  the  tragedies  of 
life.' "  * 

"  There  are  hundreds  of  thousands  upon  earth  at  this 
very  moment,  Perpetua,  both  men  and  women,  who  hold 
the  same  opinion  as  St.  Basil,  though  I  never  before  knew 
it  had  been  upheld  by  such  eminent  authority.  What  is 
your  opinion,  now^  St.  Perpetua  ?"  asked  Mrs  Jay, 

"  In  life,"  answered  Perpetua,  with  a  look  of  love, 
raised  up  to  heaven,  "  I  was  a  happy  wife  and  mother, 
and  the  happier  in  heaven  for  the  loves  of  earth.  My 
love  reaches  to  the  remotest  links  of  the  chain  of  exist- 
ence derived  from  me ;  they  are  all  mine,  and  as  truly 

*  St.  Gregory,  of  Nyssa  (a.d.  872),  was  a  younger  brother  of  St.  Basil.  He 
deplores  the  condition  of  married  life  with  great  force  and  eloquence  in  his  writ- 
ings, wlule  he  delineates  with  a  brilliant  pencil  the  delights  of  virginity.  In  his 
exegesis  of  Genesis,  chap,  iv.,  he  says :  "  Since  marriage  was  the  last  step  which 
separated  us  from  Paradise,  I  would  advise  those  who  are  ambitious  of  returning 
thither,  to  begin  by  relinquishing  marriage,  the  last  stage,  as  it  were,  in  the  road 
between  earth  and  heaven."  The  age  of  St.  Basil  and  the  Gregorys  was  eminent 
for  its  talents  rather  than  for  its  piety.  We  read  in  writers  of  the  Oxford  school 
much  in  praise  of  the  church  in  the  fourth  century.  Milner  in  his  Church  History 
says,  the  character  of  the  church  at  the  close  of  the  third  century  resembled  the 
■  Episcopal  Church  of  England  during  the  reigns  of  Charles  II.  to  George  II.  (vol. 
i.  p.  464).  It  is  certain  that  a  deep  declension  from  Christian  purity  had  taken 
place.  This  is  abundantly  shown  in  the  Epistles  of  Cyprian,  who  describes  a 
state  of  morals,  and  tests  of  character,  which  cannot  in  these  days  of  refinement 
be  so  much  as  alluded  to.  The  licentiousness  of  confessors,  men  who  did  not  die, 
gave  the  bishops  great  trouble.  The  lapsed  were  numerous,  and  on  the  approach 
of  persecution,  Cyprian  says,  "  Slany  ran  and  sacrificed  to  the  gods,  and  the 
crowds  of  apostates  was  so  great  that  the  magistrates  wished  to  delay  numbers 
till  the  next  day,  but  they  were  importuned  by  their  wretched  suppliants  to  be 
allowed  to  prove  themselves  heathen  that  very  night." — Ep.  of  Cypriav,  81. 


90  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

embraced  by  me  as  when  my  boy-babe  lay  in  my  hip, 
the  sole  fond  object  of  a  mother's  love,  Om-  circle  of 
sympathy  and  love  widens  like  ripples  on  a  glassy  lake, 
and  the  outmost  wave  is  as  truly  of  that  circle  as  is  its 
very  centre." 

"  That  is  a  new  thought  to  me,"  said  Mrs.  Jay,  "  and 
it  oppresses  me.  I  cannot  conceive  of  it.  I  do  not 
want  such  a  wide  circle  of  loves ;  but  I,  too,  may  share 
in  like  joy  when  I  have  lived  to  see  a  grandchild.  How 
odd  it  seems  to  me  now !  The  fact  of  the  case  vrith  me 
is  this :  I  was  so  glad  to  get  away  from  my  body  and 
the  world  about  me,  that  the  moment  I  was  free,  at  a 
single  bound,  I  found  myself  threading  with  my  angel, 
the  nebulae  in  the  belt  of  Orion,  on  my  way  to  the  Celes- 
tial City,  and  have  never  been  back  to  earth  since ;  nor 
have  I  met  with  any  one,  till  I  was  joined  by  my  friend, 
Peter,  from  whom  I  could  make  a  single  inquiry  after 
my  husband  and  only  child,  Augusta." 

"  That  surprises  me,  Mrs.  Jay,"  replied  Perpetua, 
"  for  I  spend  some  portion  of  every  century  in  revisiting 
the  homes  of  my  children.  My  boy  grew  to  manhood, 
and  was  sent  to  Britain  with  the  cohort  he  commanded. 
There  he  remained,  and  had  children,  and  died,  and 
of  those  children  there  are  now  living  representa- 
tives in  every  clime ;  not  one  of  whom  is  unknoAvn  to 
me.  My  Claudius  is  now  in  India  with  one  of  our 
boys,  who  is  engaged  in  civil  war  with  the  Sepoys  before 
Delhi." 


SCENES   IN   ANOTIIEK   WORLD.  91 

"  Will  you  tell  me,  St.  Perpetua,  if  the  condition  of 
society  in  Carthage  in  your  lifetime  was  like  to  that 
of  Rome,  as  described  hy  St.  Paul  in  the  opening 
chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans ;  if  so,  from  what 
a  maelstrom  of  depravity  you  escaped !  " 

"  It  was  indeed  a  vortex  of  splendid  vice ;  and  it  is 
to  illustrate  the  wonderM  goodness  of  God  to  me, 
that  I  love  to  dwell  upon  my  early  life  in  Rome  and 
my  married  life  in  Carthage.  You  are,  doubtless, 
familiar  with  the  adroitness  and  cmming  of  the  priest- 
hood of  the  papal  church  in  taking  charge  of  a  child 
so  soon  as  he  comes  into  the  world  and  sealing  him 
with  the  cross  of  baptism;  and  next  with  childhood 
comes  confirmation,  and  before  marriage  the  first 
confession  and  communion;  and  so  on,  step  by  step 
in  life's  progress,  the  priesthood  have  their  hand 
upon  the  man  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave,  nor  leave 
him  there;  for  the  future  of  his  soul  ceases  not  to  be 
a  fountain  of  wealth  to  the  cofiers  of  the  church. 
You  know  as  a  Protestant  something  of  this.  You 
may  have  seen  others  thus  crushed  by  the  Church  of 
Rome,  though  happily  you  have  been  exempt  from 
such  spiritual  despotism." 

"Yes  indeed,  "Perpetxia,"  replied  Mrs.  Jay  with 
flashing  eyes,  as  she  recalled  the  memory  of  the  past. 
"I  have  had  in  my  service  poor  Irish  Avomen  whose 
hard  earnings  have  been  absorbed,  anticipated  even, 
to    pay  their   priests   for    tlicir  prayers    for    the   dead 


92  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

as  well  as  their  sacraments  for  the  living.  How 
strange  it  is,  that  these  men  should  be  venerated, 
instead  of  being  execrated;  who  say  they  can  release 
lost  souls  from  the  miseries  of  purgatory  by  their 
prayers,  but  will  not  do  it  unless  they  are  paid  for  it. 
What  would  be  said  of  a  man  in  a  life-boat  who 
should  refuse  to  rescue  a  child  drowning,  untU  he 
was  paid  for  doing  so  ?  He  would  be  caUed  a  monster 
indeed;  and  yet  Roman  priests  of  the  present  day 
live  "ttdthout  offering  up  a  single  prayer  for  a  lost 
soul,  unless  they  have  the  price  paid  in  hand." 

"Yes,  I  am  aware  of  it.  I  have  witnessed  the 
rise  of  the  papacy  from  its  beginnings,  though  its 
seeds  were  sown  in  the  days  of  Paul.  I  saw  the 
ripening  of  the  genns  to  theii*  fuU  fruit,  and  it  is  one 
of  the  subjects  of  my  inquiries,  in  every  visit  I  make 
to  earth,  to  see  its  latest  developments.  My  motive 
in  alluding  to  this  wonderful  net-work  wrought  out 
by  the  papal  priesthood  was  to  illustrate  to  you  the 
like  meshes  of  superstition  woven  by  the  religion  of 
Pagan  Rome  about  a  Roman  child;  and  to  show  you 
how  hard  it  was,  ia  my  time,  for  a  mother,  or  a  maiden, 
to  become  a  Christian." 

As  Perpetua  was  speaking,  two  of  the  Redeemed, 
a  male  and  female  of  resplendently  beautiful  forms, 
alighted  from  the  skies  upon  the  steps  of  the  temi)le, 
and  with  bright  and  beaming  looks  of  joy  came  up 
the  steps.     Perpetua,  rising,  received  them  with  a  warm 


SCENES   IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  93 

welcome,  exclaiming,  "  What  strangers  you  are ! " 
This  done,  she  presented  them  to  Mrs.  Jay,  "  Let 
me  introduce  to  you,  dear  sister,  my  beloved  Faustinus 
and  Calliste,  and  to  you,  Calliste  and  Faustiuus,  our 
newly-arrived  sister,  Mrs.  Jay,  of  New  York,  North 
America." 

Mrs.  Jay  was  greeted  with  all  the  charming  courte- 
sies of  the  world  of  Art  and  Beauty,  and  Persis 
having  set  couches  for  them,  the  strangers  took  their 
seats ;  and  turning  to  Mrs.  Jay  Avith  smiles  of  welcome, 
Faustinus  spoke  :  "  Tell  us,  where  is  North  America  ? 
That  is  a  new  name  to  us." 

"North  America,"  said  Mrs.  Jay,  not  a  little  sur- 
prised and  somewhat  at  a  loss  how  to  make  herself 
miderstood  to  these  imlearned  guests  of  Perpetua,  "  is 
separated  from  Europe  by  the  Atlantic  ocean." 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  Faustinus,  "then  the  Atlantis  has 
been  discovered  at  last.  In  our  day,  Perpetua,  it  was 
thought  to  be  a  fiction  of  Plato  in  Timceus.'''' 

Perpetua  smiled  at  the  surprise  to  be  seen  in  Mrs. 
Jay's  face,  and  turning  to  her  said,  "Since  the  de- 
parture of  these  dear  friends  of  mine,  the  New  World 
has  been  discovered." 

"  A  new  world ! "  exclaimed  Faustinus,  "  pray  ex- 
plain." 

Perpetua  was  amused,  and  addressing  her  friends 
told  them  that  since  they  had  left  this  world,  a  Geno- 
ese, named  Columbus,  had  in  the  year  1492  discovered  a 


94  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

continent  wliicli  had  been  called  America,  the  northern 
section  of  which  had  been  settled  by  Britons,  and  the 
southern  by  Spaniards  and  Portuguese.  That  this 
"  new  world,"  as  it  was  called,  in  its  area  was  as  large 
as-  Europe  and  Africa,  and  was  found  peopled  with 
natives  now  known  as  Indians,  and  much  more  that 
need  not  be  repeated. 

"  But  where  on  the  plane  of  the  earth's  surface  is 
this  wonderful  continent  ?"  asked  Faustinus. 

"  O !  there  again,"  said  Perpetua,  "  you  will  have 
to  learn  that  the  earth  is  not  a  plane,  but  a  globe,  and 
that  the  doubtful  sayings  of  Nicetas,  Heraclides  and 
Ecphontus  as  to  the  possibility  of  the  motion  of  the 
earth  and  the  hypothesis  of  Aristarchus  of  Samos, 
that  the  earth  revolves  in  an  oblique  circle  round  the 
sun,  ajid  daily  on  its  own  axis,  has  been  demonstrated 
by  a  German,  known  to  all  the  world  as  Copernicus." 

"  A  GeiTnan  and  a  Genoese !  pray  what  have  Romans 
been  doing,  that  such  discoveries  as  these  have  been 
made  by  men  of  obscure  provinces  ?"  asked  Faustinus. 

Perpetua  repHed  with  a  tone  of  deep  emotion — 
"  There  are  no  more  Romans !  Those  who  now  peo- 
ple Italy  are  no  longer  known  as  Romans,  but  as  Ital- 
ians, and  as  such  they  have  been  dispersed  over  all 
lands,  and  are  known  as  the  pastrycooks  and  organ- 
grinders  of  the  world.  The  Church  of  Rome  has 
become    the    seat    of    Anti-Christ.*      Her    priesthood 

*  In  the  Homily  of  the  Church  of  England  for  Whit  Sunday  we  have  the  follow- 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  95 

have  made  themselves  notorious  for  their  skill  in 
cruelty.  They  have  created,  a  secret  tribunal,  known 
as  the  Inquisition,  for  the  suppression  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ.  In  their  dungeons  Christians  are  tortured 
with  such  exquisite  refinement  of  cruelty  that  the  last 
throb  of  agony  is  extorted  before  the  soul  is  permitted 
to  escape  them.  And  as  for  the  nobles  of  Rome, 
they  are  all  gone,  and  Italian  princes,  so-called,  have 
taken  their  places,  rich  only  in  titles  and  recollections 
of  the  past." 

Faustinua  and  Calliste  sat  horror-struck  at  such  a 
picture  of  their  country;  for  they  were  of  the  proud 
senatorial  families  of  Rome  in  the  days  of  Nero. 

"We  shall  have  ample  time  to  tell  you  of  all  the 
events  which  have  elapsed  since  you  left  us ;  and  now 
tell  me  briefly  where  you  have  been  for  the  last  fifteen 
hundred  years,"  said  Perpetua,  wishing  to  change  the 
current  of  their  thoughts. 

"We  have  been  most  happy  in  seeing  a  new  world 
resembling  our  earth,  peopled  with  a  race  of  beautiful 
beings,  to  whom  we  have  been  ministering  spirits," 
replied  Calliste. 

"I  hope  Satan  may  not  find  it  out  and  carry  ruin 
and  desolation  into  it,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

"O,  never!"  exclaimed   Calliste.      "Satan  has  been 

Ing  testimony,  'which  is  of  force  with  all  who  hold  the  doctrines  of  the  Episcopal 
church — The  Homily  says,  "If  it  be  possible  to  be  where  the  true  church  is  not, 
then  it  is  at  Rome." 


96  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

chained  ever  since  Christ  rose  to  his  throne  of  ever- 
lasting Dominion." 

"You  must  be  mistaken,  madam,"  said  Mrs.  Jay, 
"for  I  met  him  with  legions  of  fallen  angels  not  long 
smce,  and  left  them  at  work  destroying  a  world  of 
beauty;  ripping  up  continents  with  horrible  combus- 
tions." 

"  Can  it  be  so  ?"  said  Calliste,  with  a  look  of  terror, 
in  which  Faustinus  sympathized. 

Mrs.  Jay  was  earnestly  requested  to  tell  them  of  all 
she  had  seen,  for  both  Faustinus  and  Calliste  said  they 
had  supposed  Satan  had  been  shut  up  in  hell  since  the 
resurrection  of  the  Saviour.* 

Mrs.  Jay  replied :  "  It  is  only  a  short  time  since  I 
was  roaming  the  wastes  of  sj)ace;  a  sohtude  so  vast 
that  no  ray  from  far-oflf  stars  reached  it,  when  suddenly 
a  baleful  glare  rose  out  of  the  depths.  Coming  straight 
on  I  saw  a  multitude  of  mighty  forms,  and  stood 
awaiting  their  approach.  I  was  soon  surrounded  with 
a  legion  of  angels  of  darkness,  who  encompassed  me 
as  in  a  circle  of  red  flame.     Then  came  forward  their 

*  That  Satan  has  been  in  some  way  restricted  in  his  power  on  earth  since  the 
coming  of  Christ,  is  an  opinion  very  generally  received.  Milton  thus  alludes  to  it, 
in  his  sublime  poem,  "  On  the  morning  of  Christ's  nativity  " — Hymn,  stanza  xviii 

"  For  from  this  happy  day 

The  old  Dragon  under  ground, 

In  straiter  limits  bound, 

Not  half  so  far  casts  his  usurped  sway, 

And  wroth  to  see  his  kingdom  fail 

Swindges  the  scaly  hon-or  of  his  folded  tail,"  etc. 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHEK   WORLD.  97 

cliief  to  wliere  I  stood,  gazing  with  wonder,  but  without 
one  throb  of  fear,  on  this  globe  of  faces  whose  flaming 
eyes  were  all  bent  upon  me  with  fierce  glances  of 
anger.  How  well  he  bore  himself!  I  recalled  the 
Milton's  description  of  Satan,  and  I  knew  in  whose 
presence  I  stood.* 

" '  Who  and  whence  art  thou  ?'  he  asked  in  tones 
which  would  have  once  filled  me  with  horror.  I  replied, 
'  I  am  a  child  of  earth,  for  whom  Christ  died,  and  who 
now  stands  before  you,  redeemed  from  the  curse  and 
dominion  of  sin.  Would  I  could  tell  you  of  like  mercy 
and  pardon ;  of  a  restoration  to  happiness  and  heaven.' 
He  replied,  '  Know,  cliild  of  God,  I  could  mount  up 
from  the  pit  of  hell  to  the  highest  throne  of  created 
existence,  and  be  once  more  Lucifer,  son  of  the  morning, 
if  I  so  willed  to  be?'  'Ah!'  I  replied,  'you  coald  as 
easily  create  a  world  as  to  will  to  be  what  you  once 
were.  Would  it  were  possible  that  your  enmity  could 
be  changed  to  love.'  Oh,  how  he  swelled  with  pride  and 
rage  as  I  said  this.  'Never!  penitence  precedes  par- 
don, and  I  hate  God  and  all  his  works,  and  will  mar  if  I 
cannot  destroy,  and  will  forever  task  omnipotence  to 
renew  what  I  reduce  to  ruin  and  chaos.' 

"  In  a  twinkling  these  baleful  flaming  angels  broke  their 

*  "  He,  their  dread  commander,  above  the  rest 
In  shape  and  gesture  proudly  eminent. 
Stood  like  a  tower :  his  form  had  not  yet  lost 
All  her  original  brightness,  nor  appear'd 
Less  than  archangel  ruln'd."— Paradise  Lost,  book  i,  lines  590. 
5 


98  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

circle  and  I  saw  them  rushing  deeper  into  the  night  of 
unfathomable  space.  The  sound  of  such  a  movmg  multi« 
tude  was  like  the  roar  of  mighty  waters  upon  the  air  of 
midnight.  I  stood  awed,  when  an  angel  of  light  jomed 
me,  to  whom  I  told  all  I  had  seen.  'Come  with  me,' 
said  the  angel,  "and  you  shall  see  by  what  agencies 
worlds  are  made."  As  we  flew  with  the  speed  of  the 
messengers  of  the  Almighty,  the  angel  told  me,  that  a 
far-ofi"  world  had  reached  a  condition  when  a  cataclysm 
was  required.  '  It  has  been,'  he  said,  '  the  home  of 
lower  forms  of  life,  and  is  about  to  assume  a  higher 
development.  Satan,  as  the  'architect  of  ruin,'  does 
but  fulfill  the  behests  of  Infinite  wisdom,' 

"  A  bright  star  now  sent  its  rays  across  the  wastes  of 
night,  for  which  we  steered  our  course,  when  a  splendid 
solar  system  came  into  view.  It  was  a  galaxy  of  glories 
and  worlds  filled  with  Paradises.  We  had  only  time  to 
survey  a  beautiful  world  soon  to  be  made  desolate,  when 
the  corps  of  destroying  angels  came  and  circled  the 
globe.  The  heavens  gathered  the  blackness  of  dark- 
ness, and  suddenly  great  thunderbolts,  hurled  by  Satanic 
power,*  broke  through  the  crust  of  the  earth  and  down 
rushed  the  ocean,  when  flames  of  concealed  fires  burst 
forth,  and  towering  mountains  were  ripped  open  and 
melted,  like  icebergs  in  a  sea  of  flame.  It  was  a  scene 
of  terrible  sublimity !" 

Perpetua,  after  a  silence  which  seemed  the  eflfect  of 

*  Bee  Job,  i.  16,  for  examples  of  Satanic  power. 


SCENES   m   ANOTHER   WORLD.  '        99 

terror  upon  the  minds  of  Mrs.  Jay's  auditory,  -^dth  her 
eyes  raised,  spoke :  "  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy 
works.  Lord  God  Almighty ;  just  and  true  are  thy  ways, 
thou  King  of  saints !"  Then,  turning  to  Faustinus,  she 
asked,  "What  description  of  world  is  this  where  you 
have  been  residing,  and  what  species  of  intelligences  are 
these  new-made  creatures  of  God's  goodness  ?" 

"  The  system  is  so  very  like  our  own  planetary  sys- 
tem," replied  Faustinus,  "  that  to  us  it  seemed  a  redupli- 
cation of  the  sun  and  earth  and  planets ;  only  the  constel- 
lations were  all  diiFerent,  as  you  may  readily  suppose 
they  would  be.  The  new  Adam  and  Eve  were  just  begin- 
ning their  labors  in  the  Paradise  of  their  own  Eden, 
when  we  reached  them.  At  that  time  they  were  being 
taught  the  uses  of  words  and  the  value  and  qualities  of 
things  about  them.  There  is  no  death  known  in  that 
world,  for  there  is  no  knowledge  of  sin.  After  li\ing 
about  a  century  of  our  years,  they  are  translated  to 
some  higher  sjAere. 

"We  were  thus  permitted,"  said  Calliste,  "to  live 
with  them  the  Ufe  of  our  first  parents ;  as  they  would 
have  lived  had  Satan  and  sin  never  entered  Paradise." 

"  It  must  have  been  ftiU  of  interest  to  you,  thus  to 
mmister  to  the  development  of  the  faculties  of  an  un- 
fallen  race  of  human  beings,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  It  has  been,"  said  Calliste ;  "  and  now  that  you  tell 
us  Satan  is  let  loose  once  more,  we  must  return  and  help 
to  guard  this  happy  home  from  his  wiles." 


100  THE  GATES  WIDE  OrEN;  OR, 

"  Oh,  there  can  be  but  one  fallen  race  in  all  the  uni- 
verse," said  Peter,  "  Christ  has  died  once  for  aU.  The 
mystery  of  man's  redemption  has  been  revealed,  and  as 
our  great  Redeemer  said  on  the  cross,  '  It  is  finished !'  " 

"  And  do  you  thmk  so,  Perpetua  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  So  far  as  assurance  can  be  mine,  I  am  confident  that 
our  race,  and  the  '  angels  who  kept  not  their  first  estate,' 
are  the  only  intelligences  to  whom  sin  is  known  by 
bitter  experience.  How  sin  came  to  be,  is  the  enigma 
of  enigmas,  before  which  we  must  bow  and  be  silent — 
believing  and  resting  in  our  knowledge  of  God  and  his 
attributes,  that  '  He  will  do  right,'  " 

"Perpetua,  you  speak  of  the  origin  of  evil,"  said  Faus- 
tinus,  "  as  being  the  enigma  of  enigmas.  When  we  left 
on  our  mission  to  this  new  world,  which  was  in  the  year 
of  Christ  330,  just  after  the  Synod  of  Nice  had  dis- 
solved, the  great  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  the  pro- 
gress of  the  church  was  that  of  the  Holy  Trinity.* 
Pray  tell  me  is  that  now  an  established  article  of  faith  in 
the  churches  of  Christ," 

"  It  is  of  all  Christian  churches.  There  are  in  Ger- 
many, Britain  and  Gaul,  churches,  so  called,  which  reject 

*  The  Athanasian  Creed  was  left  out  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  by  cur 
House  of  Bishops,  in  adapting  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England  to  our  coun- 
try :  an  omission,  which,  for  one,  the  author  has  ever  regretted.  He  has  always 
felt  deep  sympathy  with  this  creed  for  its  intensity  of  zeal  for  the  divinity  of 
Christ,  and  the  reduplications  of  its  claims  for  the  personality  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 
It  was  the  work  of  a  mighty  mind,  and  will  stand  up,  like  a  peak  of  the  Cordilleras 
against  a  clear  sky,  unapproachable  in  its  sublimity. 


SCENES   IN   ANOTUER   WOKLD.  101 

Christ  as  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Redeemer  of  the 
world." 

"Has  there  ever  been  a  solution  of  the  enigma,  Per- 
petua?"  asked  Galliste.  "I  had  supposed  God's  mode 
of  existence  must  of  necessity  be  incomprehensible." 

"As  it  was,  so  it  is,  and  ever  will  be,  Calliste. 
Modern  science  has  helped  us  to  a  glimpse  of  His  mode 
of  existing  as  Three  Persons  in  One  God.  A  ray  of 
light  has  been  decomposed  into  three  distinct  colors, 
red,  yellow  and  blue,  kno\^^l  as  primary  colors,  and 
these  when  recombined,  make  one  pure  ray.  Now  we 
are  told  by  inspiration,  '  God  is  light !'  " 

"  We  were  speaking,  just  as  you  joined  us,  my  dear 
Faustinus  and  Calliste,"  continued  Perpetua,  "  of  the 
condition  of  Roman  sociot}'  in  the  days  of  Paul,  as 
described  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans ;  and  Mrs.  Jay 
was  expressing  her  wonder  and  admiration,  how  Christi- 
anity could  have  gained  access  into  Rome.  And  to 
show  her  some  of  the  barriers  to  the  Gospel,  I  was  about 
to  tell  her  how  Paganism  bore  upon  females  m  all  the 
relations  of  life.  Now,  Calliste,  as  you  lived  ui  the  days 
of  Paul,  you  can  best  render  her  this  kind  service." 

"I  do  not  know  how  better  to  fulfill  your  wishes,  and 
these  of  our  new-come  sister,"  replied  Calliste,  bowing  to 
Mrs,  Jay,  "  than  by  telling  her  briefly  the  story  of  my  life. 
I  was  born  on  the  5th  of  the  Kalends  of  May,  in  Rome, 
while  the  people  were  celebrating  the  Floralia,  in  the 
year  of  Christ  40.     I  was  the  only  child  of  a  senator  of 


102  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

wealth  and  influence,  and  in  due  time  was  affianced  to  my 
beloved  Faustinus,  and  was  married  on  my  eighteenth 
birthday.  All  went  happily  with  us,  and  we  were 
made  rich  by  the  possession  of  five  lovely  children,  when 
sickness  came,  and  in  a  few  months  we  were  childless. 
For  a  change  of  scene  we  went  out  to  our  villa,  which 
was  beautifully  situated  on  the  banks  of  Lake  Albanus,  at 
Alba  Longa,  about  ten  miles  from  Rome.  The  nurse  of 
our  children  was  a  Christian  slave  of  mine,  who  had 
feared  to  avow  her  faith  in  Christ,  lest  she  should  be 
denounced  and  delivered  up  to  the  lions.  But  when 
Myrrha  saw  me  broken-hearted  and  in  deep  despair,  she 
spoke  to  me,  little  by  little,  of  the  life  and  immortality 
brouo-ht  to  hght  in  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed 
God.  It  was  like  water  to  a  lost  wayfarer  on  the  desert. 
It  was  life  to  the  dead.  The  wealth  of  the  world  was 
less  than  nothing  and  vanity  in  comparison  with  such 
hopes.  In  all  this  Faustinus  profoundly  sympathized 
with  me.  He  sought  out  the  teachers  of  the  church, 
and  went  to  the  caverns  of  the  catacombs  to  listen  to 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  which  he  rehearsed  to  me 
attain  and  again.  This  was  hazardous,  for  it  was  after 
the  conflagration  of  the  city,  and  Christians  were  being 
sacrificed  to  appease  the  people  of  Rome,  who  were  made 
to  believe  that  Christians  were  the  incendiaries  by  whom 
so  large  a  portion  of  the  city  had  been  laid  in  i*uins. 

"  It  was  at  this  time  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles 
was  brought  again  to  Rome  a  prisoner,  and  was  bound 


SCENES    IN    Aif OTHER   WORLD.  103 

in  the  Mamertine  prison.*  "We  hastened  back  to  our 
palace,  which  was  near  the  Amphitheatre  of  Statilius 
Taurus^  and  some  distance  from  the  prison;  for  at  all 
hazards  we  purposed  to  see  St.  Paid.  Disguised  as  best 
we  could  to  resemble  the  poorer  class  of  the  conunon 
people,  we  sought  admission,  which  was  readily  granted 
to  us.  We  fomid  Paul  seated  on  a  block,  near  the  base 
of  the  pillar  to  which  he  was  chained.  He  was  wrapt  m 
his  cloak,  and  some  rolls  of  parchment  lay  at  his  feet. 
He  seemed  in  deep  meditation  when  we  drew  near.  He 
addressed  us  in  Greek,  in  reply  to  our  salutation  in  that 
tongue.  This  was  safest  for  us,  as  there  were  prisoners 
bound  in  like  manner  as  Paul  to  other  pillars,  not  far  off. 
Our  tale  was  a  short  and  simple  one,  and  it  told  him  how 
the  longing  love  of  being  restored  to  our  lost  ones  had 
opened  our  hearts  to  receive  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of 
God  by  Christ  Jesus.  Paul  listened  with  earnest  atten- 
tion. He  read  our  souls,  and  discerned  our  spirits  as 
an  apostle  only  can  do.  He  had  no  reproofs  to  make, 
but  taking  up  the  theme  of  eternal  life,  brought  to  light 
in  the  Gospel,  he  preached  unto  us  Jesus;  showing  how 
all  ancient  prophecies  had  been  fulfilled,  and  mysteries, 
hid  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  had  been  revealed 
in  the  coming,  the  death  and  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 
who  had  ascended  upon  high,  where  he  ever  lived  to 
make  all  prevalent  mterccssion  for  his  disciples.     We 

♦  According  to  the  legends  of  the  Mediaeval  Church,  St.  Paul  was  imprisoned  in 
the  Mamertine  prison.— Contbeare  and  IIowson's  Life  of  St.  Paul,  vol.  ii.  p.  483, 


104  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

forgot  everything  while  we  listened,  and  his  face,  like 
Stephen's,  was  full  of  the  glory  of  heaven. 

"  It  was  our  privilege  to  minister  to  the  necessities  of 
Paul,  while  he  opened  to  xis  the  glorious  Gospel.  One 
day  Luke  the  beloved  physician  was  with  us,  and  to 
him  Paul  told  the  story  of  our  life.  Luke  asked  us,  '  K 
we  were  walling  to  take  up  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  bear 
it  into  the  Amphitheatre  of  Nero.'  He  was  abrupt,  and 
we  were  staggered  at  the  thought  of  being  sacrificed. 
Paul  reproved  Luke,  and  told  him  we  were  as  yet  biit 
babes  in  Christ,  and  then  directing  us  to  kneel  before 
him  as  he  sat,  with  a  fervor  of  soul  that  was  heaven- 
inspired,  laying  his  hands  on  our  heads,  he  prayed  for 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  enlighten  and  uphold 
us ;  and  when  he  had  made  an  end  of  praying,  the  peace 
of  God  and  the  love  of  Christ  was  shed  abroad  in  our 
hearts — a  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory !  By  direc- 
tion of  Paul,  and  upon  confession  of  our  faith  and  repent- 
ance, St.  Luke  baptized  us  in  the  name  of  Christ,  in  the 
prison  tank,  in  presence  of  all  the  prisoners.  This,  how- 
ever attracted  Httle  attention  from  them,  for  it  was  of 
daily  occurrence,  and  was  regarded  by  them  as  some 
superstitious  washing  of  these  new  religionists.  And 
yet  the  person  of  Paul  was  awe-inspiring ;  felt  and 
acknowledged  by  every  one,  bond  or  free,  soldier  or 
centurion. 

"  The  day  dreaded  by  all  the  disciples  at  last  came, 
when  Paul  was  to  be  exhibited   in  the  Amphitheatre. 


SCENES    IX    ANOTHER   WOULD.  105 

"We  received  notice  from  the  palace  of  Nero  that  the 
nobility  of  Rome  were  expected  to  be  present.  It  was 
perilous  to  be  absent,  and  on  that  dark  day  we  took 
our  seats  in  the  gilded  balcony  of  our  rank,  which  hung 
over  the  walls  of  the  arena ;  and  there  we  sat  and  wit- 
nessed the  pouring  forth  of  the  life-blood  of  the  most 
glorious  of  men — the  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles. 

"The  day  of  our  trial  was  not  distant.  One  of  our 
freed-men,  named  Felix,  a  man  whom  we  trusted  with- 
out limit,  a  year  before  had  robbed  me  of  a  casket  of 
jewels.  He  was  taken  and  punished.  It  was  at  our 
earnest  entreaty  his  life  was  spared.  We  could  not 
have  saved  him  from  the  stripes  inflicted  upon  him, 
had  such  been  our  wish.  Returning  to  us,  he  could  no 
longer  be  trusted,  but  was  compelled  to  take  his  place 
among  our  menials  of  the  lowest  class.  This  he  re- 
sented as  an  aifront,  and  then  it  was  that  he  be- 
came a  spy  upon  us.  He  watched  ns  as  narrowly 
as  he  could  from  the  distance  to  which  he  had  been 
removed  by  his  new  duties,  and  noticed  our  frequent 
absences  from  our  palace.  It  was  our  custom  to  leave 
our  gi-ounds  disguised  as  plebeians  of  the  poorer  class, 
through  a  remote  postern  gate  opening  into  a  vacant 
lodge,  and  thence  to  the  nearest  assembly  of  Chris- 
tians hold  in  some  upper  room,  or  dark  vaulted  cham- 
ber ;  for  in  those  days  the  Word  of  God  Avas  most 
precious,  and  the  courage  of  Christians  rose  with  the 
exigencies  of  the  trial.     The  words  of  Christ  came  home 

5* 


106  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

to  our  souls  with  the  clangor  of  the  last  trumpet — • 
'  If  any  man  will  come  after  me  let  him  deny  himself 
and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me ;  for  whosoever 
will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it,  and  whosoever  will  lose 
his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it  * — ^Whosoever  shall 
be  ashamed  of  me  and  my  words  in  this  adulterous 
and  sinful  generation,  of  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  he 
ashamed  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father 
with  the  holy  angel s.f  For  what  is  a  man  advantaged 
if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  himself,  or  be 
cast  away.'  J  Our  worship  was  real,  and  our  prayers 
so  fervent  and  effectual,  that  heaven  seemed  open  to  us. 
"  It  was  the  custom  during  our  exercises  of  devotion, 
to  be  told  of  those  who  had  been  offered  up  on  that 
day;  and  we  received  from  spectators  usually  their 
messages  of  love  and  dying  exhortations.  We  were 
told  of  those  apprehended,  or  who  had  been  denounced 
to  the  magistrates  by  their  slaves,  their  neighbors, 
familiar  friends,  and  sometimes,  as  in  the  martyrdom 
of  St,  Christine,§  by  their  parents.  The  prophecy  of 
Christ  was  already  verified — '  The  brother  shall  deliver 
up  the  brother  to  death,  and  the  father  the  child ;  and 
children  shall  rise  up  against  their  parents,  and  cause 

*  Matthew,  xvi.  24.  t  Mark,  viii.  8S.  t  Luke,  ix.  23. 

§  St.  Antonius,  according  to  Baronius,  has  told  the  story  of  this  young  saint. 
Her  day  on  the  Roman  calendar  is  the  24th  July.  She  was  imprisoned  by  her  own 
father  Urbanus,  and  after  various  modes  of  torture,  yielded  up  her  soul  to  God, 
A.D.  295,  in  the  reign  of  Diocletian  and  Maximinus.  St.  Isidore  says,  "she  took 
the  name  of  Christine  of  Christ,  because  she  was  a  Cliristiaa." 


SCENES   m   ANOTHEK   WORLD.  107 

them  to  be  put  to  death,  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all 
men  for  my  name's  sake:  and  a  man's  foes  shall  be 
they  of  his  own  household.'  *  There  was  not  a  meet- 
mg,  however  small,  '  when  but  two  or  three  only  were 
met  together  in  the  name  of  Christ,'  that  did  not  bring 
to  our  ears  glorious  testimonies  of  saints  who  had  wit- 
nessed a  good  profession.  Life  to  us  was  full  of  the 
iutensest  excitement,  for  all  felt  that  we  walked,  as  it 
were,  around  the  mouth  of  a  crater,  trembling  with 
the  throes  of  an  eruption. 

"  There  was  much  work  to  be  done,  and  the  life  of  a 
disciple  was  a  warfare  m  which  there  were  no  exempts. 
Gold  often  procured  the  release  of  the  denounced 
through  the  cupidity  of  the  petty  magistracy,  and  it 
was  poured  forth  hke  water.  Alas!  how  often  were 
we  pained  by  the  subsequent  lives  of  those  who  were 
thus  saved.  They  were  held  in  high  honor  as  Confes- 
sors, and  became  apostates  from  holiness,  claiming  an 
immunity  for  their  licentiousness  as  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  censures  of  the  Church. 

"At  home,  the  life  we  led  was  altogether  changed. 
We  made  no  feasts  and  we  went  to  none.  The  cause 
assigned  by  our  friends,  was,  naturally  enough,  our 
great  sorrow  in  the  loss  of  our  children.  They  had 
no  suspicions  of  any  other  cause  and  they  sought  for 
none.     But  it  was  not  so  easy  to  hide  our  change  of 

*  Matthew,  x.  21,  86. 


108  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

life  from  the  observation  of  our  households.  In  many 
little  matters,  as  in  the  customs  of  every-day  life,  the 
paganism  of  Rome  was  interwoven,  and  a  failure  of 
compliance  with  its  established  usages  was  at  once 
observable.  Indeed,  concealment  was  not  possible ; 
and  we  could  but  confide  in  the  devotion  of  those 
who  were  about  us  at  table  and  in  our  private  apart- 
ments. In  those  days,  Nero  illuminated  his  gardens 
at  night  with  disciples  who  had  refused  to  sacrifice  to 
the  gods.  These  were  wi'apped  in  rolls  of  linen  and 
pitch  and  seated  on  pedestals,  all  to  be  fired  by  a  sig- 
nal at  the  same  instant.  It  was  our  sad  duty  to  visit 
these  disciples  and  supply  them  with  food  and  drink; 
to  whisper  the  promises  of  God  for  theii'  consolation 
and  support.  Often  these  martyrs,  thus  wrapped  up  like 
so  many  Egyptian  mummies,  were  surrounded  by  their 
parents  and  brothers  and  sisters,  and  slaves,  all  weeping 
and  praying  them  to  consent  to  pour  out  oil  upon  the 
altar  before  any  one  of  the  gods  of  the  cajDitol ;  while  near 
by,  enclosed  in  shrouds  covered  with  pitch,  stood  those 
neglected  or  unknown — nameless  on  earth,  but  whose 
names  were  written  in  the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life.  How 
often  have  I  found  such  weeping,  not  for  themselves, 
but  for  those  thus  tempted  to  deny  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Oh,  how  often  have  I  sat  down  upon  a  pedestal  just 
vacated  by  one  whose  heart  had  melted  at  the  prayers 
and  tears  of  those  they  loved,  and  who  was  being  led 
away  to  the  temple  of  Jupiter  near  by,  followed  by  the 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WOKLD.  109 

plaudits  of  her  relatives  and  friends,  and  have  asked 
myself— 'Can  it  be  tliat  God,  ray  Saviour,  demands 
such  sacrifices  as  these  ?  Is  not  that  sweet  girl  whom  I 
call  apostate,  to  be  commended  ?'  and  then  came  the 
question  of  Christ  to  Peter,  sounding  its  dreadftil 
appeal  to  my  conscience,  'Will  ye  also  go  away?' 
and  I  rose  in  haste  out  of  my  fearful  revery,  and  asked, 
'  Lord  to  whom  -shall  I  go  ?  thou  only  hast  the  words 
of  eternal  life !' 

"  My  dear  lady,"  continued  Calliste,  after  the  pause  of 
a  moment,  as  if  living  over  the  past  in  her  memory, 
"you  may  never  have  kno^\^l  anything  like  this  fearful 
conflict  of  doubt.  It  was  the  agony  of  our  existence, 
and  forever  present  to  our  minds.  How  wisely  and 
cogently  and  convincingly  did  our  hearts  reason  against 
what  we  every  day  witnessed  in  the  martyrdom  of  the 
young  and  the  beautiful ;  of  those  endowed  with  all 
that  can  make  life  lovely  and  themselves  the  centres  of 
happiness.  But  in  despite  of  all  such  terrible  conflicts 
in  our  souls,  toward  the  close  of  the  day,  during  the 
banquet  hour,  when  we  were  least  likely  to  be  missed 
from  the  palace,  Faustinus  and  I  went  down  to  the 
lodge,  near  the  garden  wall,  which  was  enshrouded  by 
shrubbery,  and  there,  aided  by  Myrrha,  Ave  put  on  our 
disguise,  leaving  her  to  watch  for  our  ret.irn.  "We 
next  hastened  to  the  garden  of  Nero,  buj-ing  the  food 
on  our  way  which  we  needed  for  Christ's  poor.  This 
ministry  we  were  permitted  to  continue  up  to  the  fr.tal 


110  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

signal,  when  the  flaming  torches  held  by  the  guards  were 
appHed ;  and  then,  np  and  down  the  long  vistas  of  the 
garden,  flames  arose,  and  martyrs,  in  chariots  of  fire, 
ascended  to  the  throne  of  God.  Oh,  it  was  fearful !  A 
cry  of  horror  rose  on  all  sides  from  the  multitude  of 
beholders,  which,  with  the  agony  of  the  dying,  broke 
upon  the  palace  walls  of  Nero,  while  he,  reposing  in  the 
arms  of  the  lovely  Popptea,  listened  and  smiled ;  his 
own  sense  of  joy  thus  heightened  by  the  wailing  shrieks 
of  his  people. 

"  But  I  -svill  hasten  to  the  end  of  my  narrative.  The 
event  so  dreaded  came.  I  had  recovered  my  jewels, 
but  at  the  cost  of  our  lives.  We  were  denounced  by 
Felix.  The  Flamen  of  Jupiter,  to  whom  so  grave  an 
accusation  as  this  was  conveyed,  had  been  the  friend  of 
our  fathers,  and  in  full  confidence  that  it  was  false,  he 
came  to  us;  and  after  a  call  of  some  length,  with  a 
smile,  he  told  us  of  the  charge  brought  against  us  by  our 
freedman  Felbc,  saying, '  So  much  for  your  unwise  lenity.' 
Faustinus  rej)lied,  'It  is  true;  we  are  Christians.'  He 
lifted  up  his  hands  in  amazement.  That  we  should, 
without  hesitancy,  confess  ourselves  Christians,  seemed 
to  him  madness ;  and  his  look  told  us  that  he  doubted 
our  sanity.  Turning  to  me,  he  asked,  if  I  v/as  ready 
to  enter  the  arena  of  the  Amphitheatre.  I  replied, 
'  Faustinus  and  I  do  not  seek  martyrdom  as  some  have 
done,  but  we  ^ill  go  to  the  lions  rather  than  become 
apostates  to  the  faith  of  Christ.'     He  conversed  with  us 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WOELD.  Ill 

for  an  hour,  and  left  us  in  deep  dismay  at  the  result 
of  his  long  visit.  He  sought  to  have  us  banished  to  our 
estates  in  Sicily.  But  when  the  question  was  brought 
before  Nero,  the  martyi'dom  of  us  two,  belonging  as  we 
did  to  the  old  families  of  Rome,  was  just  the  event  he 
wished  for  to  signalize  the  birthday  of  his  beloved 
PoppKa.  It  was  therefore  decided  by  him  that  on  that 
day  we  should  be  destroyed  by  some  magnificent  lions 
recently  brought  to  Rome,  as  a  crowning  glory  of  the 
gladiatorial  shows  he  had  been  busily  occupied  in 
arranging  for  the  celebration  of  the  day. 

"  Our  beloved  friends  now  thronged  around  us.  Every 
motive  which  could  be  urged  by  early  friendships,  a 
large  retinue  of  devoted  cUents  and  the  tears  and  cries 
of  our  household,  was  brought  to  bear  upon  us  in  the 
week  which  intervened.  We  were  permitted  to  live  in 
our  palace  under  the  guardianship  of  a  centurion.  The 
Flamen  of  Jupiter  made  a  last  call,  and  it  was  to  me 
alone  he  came,  hoj)ing  to  induce  me  to  sacrifice  to  the 
gods.  He  told  me  that  he  was  sure  of  Faustinus  if  I 
would  consent.  I  told  him,  'It  was  certain  I  should 
share  the  fate  of  Faustinus,  and  that  I  knew  my  hus- 
band too  well  to  doubt  his  integrity  of  soul  to  his 
Saviour  and  mine.  If  we  were  lifted  above  the  common 
people,  so  much  the  greater  glory  would  be  gained  to 
the  cause  of  Christ ;'  and  quotuig  Seneca,  his  friend  and 
mine,  I  said,  '  My  leader  hath  not  deserved  ill  of  me ; 
he  hath  judged  me  well.' 


112  THE  GATES  Vv^IDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  The  clay  came.  All  Rome  thronged  to  the  Amphi- 
theatre. By  the  order  of  Nero  we  were  dressed  in  all  the 
splendor  of  our  rank,  and  led  to  our  wonted  seat  in  the 
gilded  and  cushioned  balcony  of  senators.  There  Y^e 
witnessed  for  the  last  time  the  horrid  shows  of  gladiators 
killing  each  other  to  make  a  Roman  holiday. 

"  The  hour  drew  on  apace.  The  senatorial  seats  near  • 
us  were  vacated.  It  was  truly  a  fearful  i:>lace  of  obser- 
vation. I  glanced  my  eye  up  the  ten  benches,  where 
I  saw,  pale  and  anxious,  Christ's  poor  gazing  down  upon 
us,  and  I  was  comforted  in  the  certainty  that  we  had 
their  prayers  that  our  faith  should  not  fail.  The  vic- 
tors were  dragging  the  dead,  by  hooks,  across  the 
arena,  and  throwing  them  into  the  cells  from  which 
they  had  so  recently  issued  in  the  vigor  of  life. 
When  the  arena  was  cleared,  the  Mayor  of  the  Games, 
who  sat  below  Nero's  seat,  called  for  us  to  come  for- 
ward. There  was  a  small  altar  upon  which  stood  the 
statue  of  Jupiter,  and  the  Flamen  in  his  robes,  biinging 
with  him  a  cruse  of  oil,  came  and  commanded  us  to 
make  our  libation  in  honor  of  the  god.  That  was  the 
crisis  of  our  Uves.  The  beautiful  Poppaea,  whom  I  had 
kno^\'n  as  the  wife  of  Rufius  Crispinus,  was  roused  to 
lean  forward  and  see  us  make  the  sacrifice.  And  Nero, 
sympathizing  with  the  feeling  of  anxious  curiosity  that 
pervaded  the  whole  soul  of  that  great  multitude,  rose  in 
his  seat.  His  was  the  fierce  look  of  one  expecting  us  to 
despoil  him  of  an  anticipated  jDleasure,  and  most  unlike 


SCENES  IN  ANOTHER  WORLD.  113 

to  the  stare  of  the  loA^ely  woman  at  his  side,  who  now  for 
the  first  time  waked  up  to  the  possibility  of  our  con- 
tumacy. We  made  our  obeisance  to  the  Flamen  of  Jupi- 
ter, next  to  Nero  and  Poppasa,  and  then  of  declinature 
to  the  Flamen.  Nero  was  roused.  'To  the  lions!'  he 
cried  in  a  loud  voice ;  and  as  by  one  volition  the  cry 
came  up  on  all  sides,  *  To  the  lions !  to  the  lions !'  Our 
centurion  came  forward  and  hurried  us  through  the 
labyrinthian  passages  which  led  down  to  the  level  of  the 
arena,  and  passing  into  one  of  the  many  vomitories,  out 
of  which  in  other  days  we  had  been  wont  to  see  gladia- 
tors and  Avild  beasts  ushered,  we  now  came  out  hand  in 
hand,  and  were  led  by  the  centurion  into  the  centre, 
where  he  left  us.  We  looked  tip  blanched  with  terror, 
while  the  multitude  welcomed  us  with  shouts,  as  they 
were  wont  to  cheer  a  coming  spectacle.  We  stood  close 
together,  shuddermg  at  the  cries  of  the  multitude,  and 
looking  anxiously  at  the  iron  doors  of  the  arena,  to  see 
Avhence  the  lions  would  be  let  out  ui^on  us.  Oh,  it 
was  a  fearful  hour !  God  willed  it  should  be  so,  and  the 
acme  of  agony  of  that  moment  of  suspense  was  the  fear, 
lest  after  all  we  should  f:iil  of  the  grace  of  God  and  be 
castaways.  The  interval  of  tune  we  thus  stood  was 
brief,  but  it  seemed  to  me  a  century.  Every  act  of  my 
life  came  up  before  me,  and  my  sins  flamed  up  into  my 
face.  My  only  cry  was,  'Lord,  save,  or  I  perish!' 
What  else  could  I  do  ?  The  horrid  din  of  the  lifting  up 
of  the  iron  gates,  under  the  scat  of  Nero,  thrilled  me 


114  THE  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

through,  and  as  the  hungry  lions  with  a  roar  rushed 
out,  I  was  affrighted  and  about  to  fly,  when  Faustinus, 
whose  arm  was  about  me,  held  me  to  his  side,  saying, 
'  Courage,  Calliste ;  'tis  but  a  pang  and  hfe  is  over.'  Oh, 
it  was  fearful  to  see  them  leaping  out  of  the  darkness  of 
night  upon  the  arena,  enraged  by  hunger  and  the  scent 
of  the  blood  of  slaughtered  gladiators.  And  as  they 
came,  their  glaring  eyes  flashed  flames  which  would  have 
blazed  across  a  desert.  For  an  instant  they  cowered 
beneath  the  loud  cries  of  thousands.  But  soon  they  dis- 
covered us,  and  stealthily  circled  round  about  the  walls, 
stopping  to  lap  up  the  puddles  of  blood  they  met 
with. 

"  This  taste  of  blood  roused  them  to  frenzy,  and  they 
ran  towards  us  with  terrible  roaring.  We  stood  facing 
them,  and  they  paused  under  the  fiery  glance  of  our  eyes. 
It  was  but  for  an  instant.  Our  glances  could  not  arrest 
all  three  of  the  lions;  and  I  know  not  how  it  was,  but 
there  was  a  leaping  of  the  lions  upon  me,  a  crashing  of 
my  bones,  and  behold  I  stood  up  disembodied,  arrayed 
in  robes  of  light,  and  filled  with  unutterable  amazement 
at  the  change.  Shining  ones  stood  by  us,  and  welcomed 
us  mto  the  world  unseen.  Recovering  ourselves,  Faus- 
tinus embraced  me,  and  then  we  gazed  about  us.  Nero 
and  Poppaea  had  risen,  and  were  prejiaring  to  return 
home  to  their  banquet.  The  crowd  were  already  mak- 
ing their  Avay  out  of  the  many  passages,  and  the  lions 
were   fiercely   feeding,   with    many  growls,    upon  our 


SCENES   IN  ANOTHER   WORLD.  115 

mangled  bodies,  tearing  with  their  claws  the  rich  gar- 
ments which  marred  their  feasting.  We  lingered,  and 
saw  Christ's  disciples  stealing  in  behind  the  gladiators, 
who  now  came  to  drive  the  Uons  back  to  their  den. 
These  loving  souls,  with  fond  affection,  sought  to  carry 
away  with  them  fragments  of  our  clothing  saturated 
with  blood,  to  be  kept  by  them  as  mementoes  of  our 
death.  And  when  they  turned  up  the  faces  of  Faus- 
tinus  and  myself,  ^dth  astonishment  they  recognized  in 
them  the  poor  plebeians  who  were  so  constant  in  their 
devotion  to  the  martyi'S  of  the  gardens ;  for,  my  dear 
madam,  so  many  were  the  false  brethren  of  that  day,  no 
one  but  Myrrha  shared  our  secret. 

"'Are  you  not  weary  of  such  a  sight  of  hoiTor?' 
asked  our  angel.  'I  am  filled  with  joy  unspeakable,' 
I  repHed;  'my  soul  clings  to  these  dear  ones  whose 
hearts  are  so  sad  for  our  martyrdom,  and  yet  glad 
that  we  have  witnessed  a  good  profession.  I  want 
to  speak  words  of  comfort  to  them.'  '  God,  the  Com- 
forter, has  them  ever  in  his  holy  keeping,'  rcj)lied  our 
angel.  '  Now  let  us  wing  our  way  to  the  holy  city,  where 
you  will  be  welcome  to  your  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.' 
Thi^  speech  lifted  us  from  earth ;  and  with  the  delight 
of  birds  freed  from  the  cage,  we  soared  away  to  the 
open  vision  of  our  God  and  Redeemer." 


116  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OE, 


CHAPTER  V. 

Faustmus  inquires  of  Mrs.  Jay  as  to  the  Progress  of  the  Gospel — Of  the  Last  Daya 
of  the  World ;  Views  of  the  Early  Ages  respecting  it ;  Mrs.  Jay  gives  the  Views 
of  the  Present  Day— Perpetua  on  the  Progress  of  Christianity — On  the  Condition 
of  Women  in  the  Days  of  Nero — The  Law  of  the  Twelve  Tables— Examples  of 
the  Degradation  of  Women,  shown  in  the  Mother  of  Demosthenes  and  the  Wife 
of  M.  P.  Cato — Of  the  Law  of  Divorce  as  shown  by  Cicero  to  Terentia — Cal- 
liste  tells  of  the  Condition  of  Roman  Children — Testimony  of  Tacitus — She  gives 
an  Account  of  Roman  Customs,  concerning  Marriage,  in  a  Relation  of  her  own 
union  to  Faustinas. 

The  narrative  of  Calliste  had  ended,  and  Mi-s.  Jay,  with 
profound  sympathy  and  admiration,  returned  her  thanks. 
Faustinus,  addressing  Mrs.  Jay,  said,  "You  come, 
madam,  from  a  new  world.  Tell  me,  is  it  the  new 
earth  we  read  of  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  'wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness  ?' " 

"  O  no !  I  wash  it  were.  Our  people  have  no  claim 
to  distinction  on  this  score.  They  have  made  no  pro- 
gress ia  holiness  that  I  know  of  in  settling  a  new  con 
tinent.  Humanity  is  the  same  in  all  cUmes  and  all- 
ages." 

"  But  we  hoped  the  Gospel  would  have  renovated  th 
world  ere  this,"  answered  Faustiaus. 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHEK   WOKLD.  117 

"  But  it  has  not,  sir,  and  I  do  not  see  that  it  will  for 
centuries  to  come.  Some  pious  and  eminent  divines 
of  the  present  day  have  had  their  patience  utterly 
exhausted,  waitmg  for  the  triumphs  of  the  Gospel ; 
and  have  published  sermons,  and  pamphlets,  in  favor 
of  tlie  world's  being  burned  up.  This  summary  mode 
of  proceeding  has  been  quite  popular  in  certain  quar- 
ters, but  we  have  no  knowledge  whether  this  scheme 
of  theirs  will  be  entertained  elsewhere.  It  seems  to  be 
the  effect  of  petulance  and  a  longing  for  a  climax.  I 
believe,  St.  Perpetua,  there  has  been  in  every  age  an 
intense  desire  throughout  Christendom  to  see  the  world 
destroyed  by  fire." 

Perpetua,  with  a  smile,  replied,  "  My  dear  Mrs.  Jay, 
you  have  your  oa^ti  way  in  saymg  things.  In  answer 
to  your  inquiry,  Faustinus  will  tell  you  that  in  his  day 
there  was  an  earnest  longing  and  looking  for  the  day 
of  the  Lord,  Avliich  was  then  believed  to  be  near  at 
hand.  Toward  the  close  of  the  tenth  century,  it  was 
believed  that  the  ppenmg  of  the  next  would  see  the 
consununation  of  all  things ;  an  expectation  spread  by 
the  great  leaders  of  the  Church  who  added  vast  do- 
mains to  monasteries  by  compounduig  the  sins  of  great 
barons   in   consideration  of  such  grants;*  and  as  you 

*  Hallam  in  his  "  History  of  the  Middle  Ages,"  chap.  vii.  says :    "  To  die  without 
allotting  a  portion  of  worldly  wealth  to  pious  uses,  was  accounted  almost  like  sui. 

cide  or  a  refusal  of  the  last  sacraments The  church  lands  enjoyed 

an  Immunity  from  taxes.    According  to  a  calculation  founded  on  a  passage  in 
Knyghton,  the   revenue  of  the  Engli.li  chuich  in  1887,  amounted  to  780,000  mark* 


118  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

know,  Mrs,  Jay,  since  the  days  of  Mede  and  Bishop 
Newton,  every  year  has  seen  a  new  exegesis  of  the 
Revelations  of  St.  John,  of  which  the  boldest  and  most 
specific  has  always  paid  best ;  nor  has  the  skill  of 
modern  divines,  in  making  '  taking  books,'  decreased  in 
your  day  and  generation." 

"  How  much  we  have  to  learn !"  exclaimed  Faustuius, 
addressing  CaUiste.  "Tell  me,  Mrs.  Jay,  the  burden 
of  the  ministry  in  the  jn-esent  day.  In  ours,  there 
was  one  absorbing  theme — 'God  manifest  in  the  flesh, 
justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto 
the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  received  up 
into  glory.'  'Christ  the  Son  of  God,  the  Saviour  of 
sinners,'  was  our  cabalistic  saying,  by  which  we  knew 
each  other.  That  was  the  scope  of  the  preaching  then, 
and  of  our  duty, — to  confess  Christ  and  lay  down  our 
lives  for  the  brethren.  His  glory  was  the  Alpha  and 
Omega  of  all  our  exertions ;  the  motive  of  aU  our  sacri- 
fices. Changes  had  come  over  the  world  in  the  third 
century,  before  we  took  our  departure  on  the  mission 
of  love  to  the  new  world  we  have  just  now  left.  Alms- 
giving and  ceUbacy  began  then  to  take  the  place  of 
Christ,  and  faith  in  his  complete  righteousness,  as  the 
sinner's  hope   of  justification   before   God.     'John,  of 


per  annum.    The  clergy  did  enjoy  nearly   one-half  of  England,  and  I  bellMo  a 
greater  portion  in  some  countries  of  Europe." 

Hallam  says,  chap,  ix.,  part  1:     "In  the  tenth  century,  an  opinion  prevaiU-d 
everywhere  that  the  end  of  the  world  was  approaching." 


SCENES    m   ANOTHER   WOKLD.  119 

the  Golcleu  Mouth,'  as  St,  Chrysostom  was  called,  with 
glomng  eloquence  was  then  leacUug  away  the  Church  of 
God  from  the  true  faith  in  Christ.  And  now,  madam, 
after  an  absence  of  fifteen  centuries,  we  come  back  to 
ask  what  are  the  themes  of  the  Christian  muiistry  in 
these  latter  days  and  in  your  new  world.  I  cannot  but 
hope  that  this  virgin  continent  has  been  kept  fi'ee  from 
the  pollutions  of  the  old  world." 

"  I  wish  it  were  so,"  said  Mrs.  Jay  with  great  inten- 
sity of  feelmg.  "Doubtless  there  are  advantages  re- 
sulting from  the  newness  pervading  our  wide-spread 
country.  The  North  American  RepubUc  consists  of 
thirty-one  Independent  and  Sovereign  States.  In  the 
Northern  States,  the  population  is  divided  into  a  mul- 
titude of  sects,  called  churches;  some  of  these  are 
very  high,  some  very  low;  some  extremely  orthodox, 
some  excessively  heterodox,  and  those  claiming  to  be 
most  of  all  rationalistic,  are  of  all  others  most  irrational. 
Now  among  those  known  as  Evangelical  and  Orthodox, 
the  topics  you  speak  of  as  being  the  burden  of  all  the 
prophesyings  of  your  day,  are  regarded  as  accepted 
truths,  and  the  confessed  stand-points  of  all  subjects 
to  be  discussed.  What  is  most  needed  now  for  a  re- 
vival of  primitive  piety  in  our  country,  is  a  .little  of 
that  of  which  you  had  too  much — the  lions  of  the 
Amphitheatre.  Nor  will  you  wonder  at  this  when  I  tell 
you  that  our  churches  for  more  than  two  hundred 
years  have  possessed  the  largest  freedom  of  rehgious 


120  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

liberty.  We  all  sit  under  our  own  vines  and  fig- 
trees,  having  none  to  disturb  or  make  us  afraid. 
And  yet,  in  despite  of  all  the  corrupting  influences 
of  such  national  prosperity  as  the  world  has  never 
before  seen  possessed  by  any  people,  I  hope  and  believe 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  advancing  and  his  glorious 
reign  is  extending  over  the  wide  world.  But  my 
judgment  is  Hke  that  of  a  man  in  the  midst  of  op- 
posing forces ;  he  cannot  tell  on  which  side  is  the  vic- 
tory.    What  says  Perpetua  ?" 

"  Oh,  there  is  progress !"  exclaimed  Perpetua  with  a 
bright  and  beautiful  confidence  in  her  tone  and  manner. 
"  It  is,  as  our  divine  Redeemer  has  said  it  should  be, 
the  leaven  is  leavening  the  whole  lump.  The  simpli- 
city of  life  and  manners  existing  two  centuries  since,  and 
the  principles  which  led  the  colonists  of  Plymouth  to 
the  rock-bound  coast  of  New  England,  and  which  deep 
poverty  enforced  with  stern  rigor,  has  changed  more  and 
more  as  your  country  has  become  prosperous.  And  this 
is  as  true  of  Great  Britain  as  of  the  States  of  North 
America.  But  while  there  has  been  a  subsidence  of 
some  severe  virtues,  there  is  a  wonderful  development 
of  the  feeling  of  brotherhood.  Since  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  when  the  disciples,  in  the  fire  of  their  first  love, 
tried  the  hopeless  experiment  of  having  all  things  com- 
mon, never  has  the  command  of  Christ  to  disciple  all 
nations  been  so  widely  recognized  and  acted  upon  by 
the  churches  of  Christ  as  now," 


SCENES    IN    ANOTUEB   WOKLD.  121 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,  Perpetua,"  said  Mrs. 
Jay ;  "  and  though  I  could  never  have  had  any  desire 
to  be  killed  by  mad  cows,  or  devoured  by  hungry  lions, 
yet  I  have  always  felt  that  Christians  of  the  early  cen- 
turies had  a  confidence  in  theu-  true-hearted  discipleship 
that  we  never  could  attain  unto  in  our  days  of  peace 
and  prosperity." 

"  Certainly,  Mrs.  Jay,"  replied  Perpetua,  "  the  cross 
of  Christ  was  far  more  palpable  in  our  day  than  in 
yours.  To  be  a  Christian  in  the  lifetime  of  Faustinus 
and  Calliste  was  to  resist  the  current  of  public  opinion ; 
to  commit  treason  to  the  state,  and  to  bring  down  its  ter- 
rible malediction.  And  yet,  madam,  the  cross  of  Christ 
is  ever  one  and  the  same.  •  It  demands  of  us  the  sacrifice 
of  self,  and  the  cross  is  a  daily  one ;  it  meets  us  on  the 
threshold  of  existence,  and  never  leaves  us  tUl  we  sleep 
the  sleep  of  death.  And  so  obvious  is  this  cross,  that 
all  can  both  see  it  and  feel  it  at  every  step  of  life's  pro- 
gress, while,  with  an  eye  upon  our  Saviour's  footsteps, 
w^e  walk  as  he  also  walked,  of  whom  it  is  said  'he 
pleased  not  himself.'  Now,  madam,  the  great  truth 
which  men  are  so  slow  to  learn,  and  which  milhons  have 
never  guessed  at,  is  this, — God  has  ordained  in  all  worlds, 
that  happiness  shall  consist,  not  in  what  is  gained,  but  in 
what  is  given  ;  and  this  being  so,  men  'ought  to  seek  as 
their  own  highest  happiness  the  gifts  and  powers  to  do 
the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number.  You  see  in 
this   world,  so    joyous    and    happy,   what    blessedness 

6 


122  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

results  from  carrying  out  this  course  of  action.  As  I 
have  just  said,  few  on  earth  have  adopted  the  principle 
of  self-sacrifice  in  very  little  things.  All  ideas  of  taking 
up  the  cross  of  Christ  daily,  are  vague  and  mystical.  In 
great  exigencies  Christians  act  well  at  aU  times,  but  in 
the  '  sweet  small  charities  of  life,'  upon  which  the  happi- 
ness of  a  wife  or  a  chUd  chiefly  depend,  how  often  do 
men  offend  ?  And  yet,  this  willingness  and  power  at 
once  to  sacrifice  self  in  order  to  advance  the  well-being 
of  others,  is  the  philosopher's  stone  for  which  the  world 
has  so  long  sought." 

"  The  adoption  of  such  a  principle,  St.  Perpetua, 
would  indeed  change  the  aspect  of  society,  and  the  com- 
merce of  the  world,"  said  Mrs.  Jay.  "  I  have  had  such 
dreams  of  a  future  of  our  world  ;  but  then  I  never 
believed  it  could  be  attained  without  some  such  purga- 
tion as  a  general  conflagration.  Why,  Perpetua,  who 
would  sell  us  our  silks  and  ribbons  ?  and  as  for  hucksters 
they  would  cease  to  be.*  No,  no  ;  while  there  is  a  neces- 
sity for  bu}dng  and  selling,  there  will  always  be  more  or 
less  buying  cheap  and  selling  dear.  And,  Perpetua,  I 
think  the  Saviour  teaches  us  that  in  the  last  day,  at  the 
very  instant  when  the  pealing  sound  of  the  archangel's 
trumpet  shall  wake  the  dead,  the  ladies  of  our  cities  vtdll 
be.  cheapening  lace  for  their  wedding  dresses."  f 

Perpetua  smiled  at  the  illustration  Mrs.  Jay  had  used, 

*  Ecclesiasticus  xxvi.  29, — "  A  huckster  shall  not  be  free  from  sin." 
t  Matthew,  xxiv.  37. 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  123 

while  Faustinas  and  Calliste  sat  by  with  a  look  of  mcer- 
titude  as  to  what  was  meant. 

"  I  tliink,  Mrs.  Jay,  we  all  agree  in  belie\TjQg,"  said 
Perpetua  in  reply,  "  that  the  mission  of  Christ  was  for 
the  saving  of  the  whole  world.  He  has  in  his  gospel 
given  as  the  law  of  love  by  which  the  world  is  to  be 
regenerated — '  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.* 
Now  to  recur  to  the  subject  of  which  we  have  been 
speaking ;  in  djTiamics  the  greatest  power  attainable  is 
by  a  quick  repetition  of  strokes ;  and  if  the  ministers 
of  the  gospel  of  the  present  day,  should  be  instant  in 
bringing  home  to  the  hearts  of  men  the  teachings 
of  Christ  as  to  bearing  his  cross  daily,  and,  indeed, 
hourly  and  instantly,  their  hearers  would  be  the 
wiser  and  better  for  their  discourses ;  and  there  would 
be  a  growth  of  holiness  as  well  as  happiness  in  the 
world. 

"I  beg  to  recall  the  topic  of  our  discourse,"  con- 
tinued St.  Pei'petua,  "  when  Faustinus  and  Calliste  joined 
us.  Calliste  has  told  us  of  some  of  the  dangers  attending 
a  confession  of  Christ  in  the  days  of  Nero ;  but  what 
I  desired,  Faustinus,  that  Mrs.  Jay  should  be  told,  was 
this, — Of  the  obstacles  which  were  met  by  Roman  ma- 
trons and  maidens  arising  from  the  interweaving  of 
pagan  rites  with  every-day  life." 

A  conversation  ensued  which  need  not  be  repeated 
here,  in  which  the  present  position  of  women  in  Eng- 
land and  North  America  was  presented  to   Faustinusi 


124  TUB  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

and  Calliste,  who  listened  with  delight  while  Perpetua 
sketched  the  progress  of  society  and  the  elevation  of 
woman  from  the  third  century  to  the  present  day. 
This  done,  Mrs.  Jay  recalled  Faustinas  to  the  inquiry 
made  by  Perpetua. 

"  To  recur  to  the  past,  then,"  said  Faustinus,  "  and 
its  days  of  darkness,  sensuality  and  suffering,  I  will 
say  to  Mrs.  Jay,  that  according  to  the  testimony  of 
Roman  authors,  and  poets  especially,  women  were 
never  so  abandoned  as  in  the  days  of  Augustus  Csesar. 
They  describe  the  scenes  then  taking  place,  and  say 
the  framework  of  society  and  the  bonds  of  domestic 
life  were  on  the  eve  of  disruption.  Woman,  distrusted 
by  her  husband,  was  deprived  of  the  freedom  of 
social  intercourse,  and  being  left  without  motive  for 
the  cultivation  of  her  mind,  she  soon  lost  her  deli- 
cacy of  manners.  Her  form  was  all  that  was  now 
left  her  for  adornment,  and  this  she  saw  elevated  on 
a  pedestal,  the  object  of  worship — in  the  porch,  the 
vestibule  and  upon  the  altars  of  temples.  But  whUe 
there  was  all  this  reverence  for  beauty,  there  was 
none  for  Woman.  It  was  Christianity^ that  first  attri- 
buted to  woman  a  fuU  participation  of  the  godlike. 

"To  our  rude  Roman  fathers,  as  with  the  ancient 
Greeks,  there  was  nothing  so  grand  as  courage  and 
strength.  From  timid  women  they  expected  nothing, 
and  treated  them  accordingly.  And  when  cities  began 
to  be  built,  women  were  confined  to  a  certain  section 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  125 

of  the  house,  always  the  hack  part,  and  slept  in  the 
upj)er  rooms  well  secured  by  bars  and  bolts ;  nor  were 
they  permitted,  in  the  day-time  even,  to  go  from  one 
part  of  the  house  to  the  other.  Their  keepers  were 
old  female  slaves  and  eunuchs.  If  the  golden  fleece 
of  Thessaly  was  not  safe  from  the  enterprise  of  Jason, 
the  wives  of  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans  were 
not  safe  from  the  men  of  their  day.  With  wealth 
came  refinement.  Rome  in  the  days  of  Augustus  was 
enriched  by  the  plunder  of  the  world.  She  had  laid 
a  belt  about  the  Mediterranean  of  a  thousand  miles 
in  breadth ;  and  within  that  zone  she  comprehended 
not  only  all  the  great  cities  of  the  ancient  world,  but 
so  perfectly  did  she  lay  the  garden  of  the  world  in 
every  climate,  and  for  every  mode  of  natural  wealth, 
within  her  o^vn  rin»-fence,  that  since  that  era  no  ■  land, 
no  part  and  parcel  of  the  Roman  empire,  has  ever 
risen  into  strength  and  .opulence,  except  where  im- 
usual  artificial  industry  has  availed  to  coimteract  the 
tendencies  of  nature.  So  entirely  had  Rome  engrossed 
whatsoever  was  rich  by  the  mere  bounty  of  native 
endowment.*  The  city  had  become  a  nation  in  it- 
self It  contained  with  its  suburbs,  in  the  days  of 
Christ,  not  less  than  four  millions;  and  by  many  it 
was  beUeved  to  contain  millions  more ;  f  for  there 
were  no  accurate  methods  in  use  in  those  days  of 
numbering  all  sorts  of  people. 

*  De  Qulncey— "The  Caesars,"  p.  16.  t  De  Quincey,  p.  6. 


126  Tift;  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  Women  were  made  to  share  in  the  luxuries  of  the 
age.  They  were  needed  to  grace  the  banquet ;  but  their 
sjihere  was  only  to  minister  to  the  pleasures  of  men,  and 
not  to  share  their  confidence.  In  the  Pantheon  woman 
was  worshipped,  but  at  home  she  was  degraded ;  and 
though  having  the  care  of  her  children,  and  sharing  in 
her  husband's  honors,  she  was  the  victim  of  a  capricious 
jealousy,  and  could  be  repudiated  by  him  at  his  plea- 
sure ;  and  more,  she  was  at  his  sole  disposal  at  his 
death." 

Mrs.  Jay,  lifting  up  her  hands,  terrified  at  such  a  pic- 
ture, exclaimed,  "  What  would  I  have  done  to  my  hus- 
band had  I  lived  in  your  day !" 

"  You  would  have  submitted  as  the  women  of  Rome 
did,"  rephed  Faustinus.  "  But  Hsten  awhile,  for  I  have 
not  told  you  the  half  of  all  that-  can  be  told  of  the 
degradation  of  women  in  the  height  of  Roman  glory. 
In  the  day-dawn  of  Christianity,  a  Roman  mother  was 
liable  to  see  her  most  loved  chUd  torn  from  her  bosom, 
if  jealousy  seized  upon  her  husband,  and  thrown  by  him, 
or  by  some  obedient  slave,  into  the  fish-pond  of  the 
house  to  become  food  for  eels." 

"  Horrible  !"  cried  Mrs.  Jay.  "  This  might  be  old 
Roman  law ;  but  could  it  consist  with  such  civilization 
as  was  the  glory  *of  Rome  in  the  days  of  Augustus." 

"  I  could  tell  you  tales  of  my  own  day,"  replied  Faus- 
tinus, "  but  I  would  rather  speak  of  those  facts  which 
are  found  imbedded  in  the  pages  of  the  great  writers  of 


SCENES  IN  anotui:r  wokld.  127 

the  empire.  You  may  think,"  continued  Faustinus, 
addressing  himself  to  Mrs.  Jay,  "  that  we  Romans  of  the 
first  century  were  monsters.  We  may  have  been,  but  we 
regarded  ourselves  as  greatly  in  advance  of  the  primitive 
laws  and  customs.  Our  civilization  came  to  us  from  the 
people  of  Greece,  who  learned  their  lessons  from  Egypt, 
Xenophon,  in  one  of  his  letters  says  :  '  There  are  few  of 
my  friends  with  whom  I  converse*  so  seldom  as  with  ray 
wife.'  Nor  were  the  domestic  customs  of  Athens  more 
mild  and  regardful  of  women  than  those  of  Rome.  A 
Roman  citizen  could  transfer  his  authority  over  his  wife- 
to  his  son ;  or,  if  he  chose,  could  bequeath  her  to  a 
friend  as  her  future  husband  :  and  this,  too,  was  Grecian 
law,  of  which  we  have  a  most  notable  instance  in  the 
father  of  Demosthenes,  who  chose  Aphobus,  his  own 
slave,  for  his  successor.  And  another  example  is  sup- 
plied us  by  M.  Porcius  Cato,  the  great-grandson  of  Cato 
the  Censor.  This  eminent  man,  amid  the  oriental 
voluptuousness  of  his  age,  retained  a  love  of  Samnite 
rusticity.  He  was  proud  of  the  name  he  bore,  and  the 
virtues  Avhich  had  made  that  name  illustrious.  And  it 
was  this  Cato,  who,  failing  to  persuade  Bibulus,  who  had 
married  his  daughter  Portia  (by  whom  Bibulus  had 
two  children),  to  give  her  up  to  his  friend  Hortensius, 
divorced  his  own  wife  Marcia,  who  was  then  married  to 
Hortensius  in  the  presence  of  Cato  and  her  own 
father.'  '* 

•  So  I'lutarch— "  Cato  the  Younger." 


128  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  Plow  wonderful !"  cried  Mrs,  Jay.  "  I  have  now  a 
new  apprehension  of  the  blessedness  of  the  glorious 
gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  Well  might  old  Zacharias 
call  Christ's  coming  the  day-spring  from  on  high,  giv- 
ing" light  to  them  that  sat  in  darkness  and  the  shadow 
of  death,  and  of  all,  to  woman.  And  our  Redeemer 
might  weU  say  of  his  coming  He  was  sent  to  bind  up 
the  broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives, 
and  to  open  the  prisons  of  them  that  were  bound.  But 
was  there  no  protection  for  women  ?  I  have  heard  much 
about  the  famous  Tables  of  Roman  law,  and  did  they 
contain  no  mention  of  us  poor  wives  and  mothers  ?" 

"  Oh,  certainly,"  replied  Faustinus.  "  They  prescribe 
the  foi'm  of  divorce." 

"  A  summary  method  no  doubt,  and  what  was  it  ?" 

"  It  was  not  more  so  than  among  the  Jews,  madam ; 
and  I  think  it  was  far  more  respectful.  The  law  of  the 
Twelve  Tables  prescribes  as  follows :  '  When  a  man  will 
put  away  his  wife,  the  form  of  doing  it  shall  be  by  tak- 
ing the  keys  of  her  house  from  her  and  giving  her  what 
she  brought.'  Thus  it  was  that  Cicero  dismissed  Teren- 
tia,  after  a  union  of  thirty  years,  because  he  said  she 
was  expensive  and  peevish;*  and  only  eleven  years 
before,  while  he  was  in  exile,  he  addressed  to  her  those 
beautiful  letters,  in  which  he  says  she  had  been  cruelly 
robbed  of  her  whole  fortune  on  his  accoimt,  calling  her 

*  "  Terentia  denied  all  these  charges,  and  Cicero  afterwards  made  her  a  full 
apology." — Plutarch. 


SCENES    IlSr    ANOTHER    WORLD.  129 

'■My  Tcrentia^  thou  most  faithful  and  best  of  ^^dves;' 
conjuring  her  to  join  hum  in  his  banishment,  saying  to 
her,  '  I  can  never  think  myself  ruined  whilst  I  enjoy 
thy  society.' " 

"The  wretch!"  cried  Mrs.  Jay,  "he  well  deserved  to 
have  his  head  cut  off  and  a  bodkin  run  through  his 
tongue,  for  such  baseness  to  his  wife." 

"  My  dear  Faustinus,"  said  Calliste,  "  you  are  making 
very  slow  jirogress  m  answermg  the  inquiry  made  by 
Perpetua.  You  have  been  talking  all  this  while  about 
the  condition  of  wives  in  order  to  enhance  the  triumph 
of  Christ's  gospel.  But  how  much  more  strikingly  is 
this  shown  in  the  condition  of  children  under  the  law 
of  the  Twelve  Tables.  Wives  have  never  had  such 
hold  upon  the  hearts  of  husbands  as  children  upon  the 
heartstrings  of  fathers ;  and  I  want  you  to  tell  Mrs. 
Jay,  that  by  the  authority  of  law,  a  father  could  kill  his 
child,  or  sell  him  into  slavery,  and  there  was  no  appeal  ;* 
and  as  for  the  females  born,  it  was  a  matter  of  incerti- 
tude whether  to  let  the  child  live  or  die.  The  degrada- 
tion of  our  sex  came  to  us  from  Greece,  and  is  shoAvn 
by  the  quotation  of  one  of  their  poets,  who  says :  '  A 
man  though  poor  will  not  expose  his  son,  but  if  he  is 
rich,  he  will  scarcely  save  his  daughter.'  " 

*  The  first  law  of  the  Twelve  Tables  enacts:  "  Let  a  father  have  the  power  of 
life  and  death  over  his  legitimate  children,  and  let  him  sell  them  when  he  pleases. 
But  if  a  father  has  sold  his  son  three  times,  let  the  son  be  out  of  the  father's  power. 
If  a  father  has  a  son  born  wliich  is  monstrously  deformed,  let  him  kill  him  imme- 
diately." 

6* 


130  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

"Well  might  St.  Paul  say  of  such  men,  'without 
natural  aiFection.'  "  said  Mrs.  Jay.  "  "Was  there  ever 
such  a  catalogue  of  crimes  as  Paul  has  made  in  the  first 
chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans  ?  It  seems  to  me 
the  Huns  and  Vandals  were  needed  to  crush  such  a  race 
out  of  existence." 

"  How  thankful  should  we  be,"  said  Perpetua,  with 
her  sweet  smile,  and  taking  Mrs.  Jay's  hand  as  she 
spoke,  "  that  the  long  suffering  of  God  leads  men  to 
repentance.  Even  James  and  John  wished  permission 
fi'om  Christ  to  command  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven 
to  consume  the  inhabitants  of  a  Samaritan  village,  for  no 
other  reason  than  that  they  refused  to  entertain  Christ 
and  his  disciples  on  their  way  to  Jerusalem ;  and  we  must 
pardon  our  new-come  sister  for  her  sentiments  of  abhor- 
rence of  Roman  morals.  And  yet,  dear  Mrs.  Jay,  we 
three  are  native-born  Romans,  and  love  aU  that  was 
noble  in  our  country," 

"  I  pray  you  forgive  me,  St.  Perpetua,  if  I  have  in 
any  degree  pained  you." 

"  It  was  not  what  you  said,  my  sister,  but  there  was 
in  your  tone  and  manner  something  which  sounded 
like  the  prayer  of  the  Pharisee — '  Lord,  I  thank  thee  I 
am  not  as  other  men  are.'  I  am  not  a  Roman  of  the 
first  century,  but  a  Christian  of  the  nineteenth." 

"  Yes,  truly,  St.  Perpetua ;  for  what  but  a  Pagan 
should  I  have  been  had  I  been  born  in  Rome  in  the 
times  of  N"ero  ?  or  a  Buddhist  had  I  lived  in  my  own 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WOKLD.  131 

day  beneath  tlie  Lurniiig  sun  of  Hindostan  ?  Born  as  I 
was  of  Christian  parents,  listening  to  the  jjreaching 
of  the  gospel  every  Lord's  day,  trained  from  my  cradle 
to  rejieat  the  Divine  Hymns  of  Dr.  Watts  for  Infmt 
Minds,  initiated  mto  the  Christian  church  by  baptism 
confirmed  m  childhood  by  a  Christian  bishop — I  am 
here,  a  brand  plucked  from  the  burning ;  redeemed, 
while-  those  who  commenced  life  with  me,  imder  like 
auspices,  have  failed  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  dying 
made  no  sign." 

This  little  matter  was  soon  settled,  and  the  conversa- 
tion was  carried  back  by  Faustinus  to  the  condition  of 
the  children  of  Rome,  in  the  higher  walks,  with  which 
indeed  he  and  Calliste  alone  were  personally  conversant. 
He  cited  these  words  from  the  great  historian  Tacitus, 
as  illustrating  this  question — "  The  young  infant  is  given 
in  charge  to  some  poor  Grecian  wench,  and  one  or  two 
serving  men  are  perhaps  joined  in  the  commission ; 
generally  the  meanest  and  ill-bred,  and  such  as  are  unfit 
for  any  other  business.  With  their  tales  and  vagaries 
the  tender  mind,  as  yet  a  virgin  soil,  is  saturated.  Of 
all  the  inmates  of  the  house  not  one  regards  what  is  said 
or  done  before  the  infant  lord  ;  while  their  very  jiarents 
accustom  their  little  ones,  not  to  virtue  and  modesty, 
but  to  license  of  speech  and  behavior ;  thus,  through 
this  loop-hole  made  for  impudence  and  contempt  of 
obedience  to  their  own  parents,  all  vices  find  entrance. 
Nay,"  continues  Tacitus,  "  the  vices  peculiar  to  Rome 


132  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

seem  to  be  inborn,  such  as  a  fondness  for  the  stage,  and 
the  arena,  a  passion  for  horses  and  the  like." 

Calliste  now  took  up  the  topic.  "  Mrs.  Jay,  you  want 
to  know  what  were  the  stones  of  stumbling,  and  rocks 
of  offence  in  the  way  of  a  Roman  girl  in  becoming  a 
Christian.  Now  I  think  I  can  tell  you  of  some  which 
would  have  been  insuperable,  had  I  been  a  Christian 
before  I  married  Faustinus.  And  to  begin  at  the  be- 
ginning; the  auspices  were  to  be  first  consulted  and 
found  concurrent ;  for  if  an  omen  deemed  unlucky  ap- 
peared, th§  contract  was  forthwith  dissolved  as  displeas- 
ing to  the  gods.  It  was  rare  for  such  omens  to  be 
discovered,  when  rich  gifts  rewarded  the  priest  for  suc- 
cessful ones.  These  in  our  case  were  declared  to  be 
auspicious  in  aU  respects;  and  forthwith  our  prayers 
were  offered  with  sacrifices  to  the  gods,  and  a  lock  of 
my  hair  was  cut  off  and  laid  upon  the  altar  as  a  conse- 
crated gift.  This  fearful  ordeal  over,  for  such  it  had 
been  to  me,  being  ignorant  of  the  persuasives  Faus- 
tinus had  made  to  the  soothsayers  to  secure  a  favorable 
report,  I  with  joy  hastened  to  get  ready  for  my  espous- 
als. It  was  a  day  forever  to  be  remembered,  when  after 
much  labor  I  stood  arrayed  in  my  long  white  robe  with 
its  purple  fringe  adorned  with  ribbons,  called  tunica 
recta,  and  had  the  girdle  bound  around  me  which  Faus- 
tinus was  to  unloose.  Then  my  maids  having  parted  my 
hair  with  a  spear  in  honor  of  Juno,  the  protectress  of 
mari'iage,  to  whom  the  spear  was  sacred,  put  over  me 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WOULD.  133 

my  bridal,  orange-colored  veil,  called  the  flammeum  ^ 
and  last  of  all  I  put  on  my  yellow  shoes.  Thus  attired, 
I  was  led  down  into  the  hall  where  stood  the  priest  at 
an  altar  placed  there  for  the  occasion.  A  sheep  was 
then  sacrificed  to  the  gods,  and  the  skin  being  rent  off 
the  victim  (a  most  offensive  sight  it  was  to  me),  it  was 
spread  over  two  stools,  npon  which  we  sat  with  our 
heads  covered.  This  done,  our  marriage  was  completed 
by  pronouncing  a  solemn  prayer,  after  which  another 
sacrifice  was  made,  and  Faustinus  then  became  my  hus- 
band." 

"  And  was  that  all  ?"  cried  Mrs.  Jay.  "  I  had  supposed 
there  was  the  greatest  splendor  attendmg  the  nuptials 
of  the  nobility  of  Rome." 

"  Oh,  there  was,"  replied  CaUiste ;  "  but  I  wanted  to 
show  you  how  intimately  the  ritual  of  pagan  worship 
was  comiected  "wdth  the  rites  of  marriage.  Faustinus 
can  best  teU  you  Avhat  a  retinue  of  nobility  attended  me 
on  my  way  from  my  father's  palace,  to  the  one  which 
was  to  be  henceforth  mine." 

"  By  no  means  can  I  begin  to  tell  of  these  ceremonies 
so  well  as  you,  Calliste.  Pray  finish  your  story,"  said 
Faustinus  with  a  pleasant  smile. 

"  Do  you  not  see,  Mrs.  Jay,  that  this  husband  of  mine 
slily  suggests  that  this  affair  of  marrying  hhn  was  a 
matter  of  much  more  importance  and  interest  to  me 
than  it  was  to  him.  But  I  assure  you  he  was  regarded 
as  fortunate  when  he  married  me ;  and  there  were  ladies 


loi  TUB  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;   Olt, 

of  my  rank  who  openly  expressed  their  astonishment 
at  my  father's  choice;  but  I  beheved  then,  as  now, 
that  it  was  only  envy ;  for  our  love  began  in  child- 
hood, and  was  a  imion  of  hearts  as  well  as  of  great  fami- 
lies; and  then,  you  know,  matches  are  never  entirely 
satisfactory  but  to  those  directly  concerned  in  them. 
But  I  am  not  telling  you  of  what  I  did  and  what  was 
done  to  me  on  my  nuptial  day.  It  was  a  cloudless  day, 
and  I  was  dressed  twenty  times  by  my  slaves  before  I 
could  be  entirely  satisfied  with  my  looks;  so  it  was, 
when  I  ought  to  have  been  ready  to  descend,  I  had  not 
as  yet  made  a  single  step  of  progress.  The  second  and 
third  message  hastened  on  the  robes  and  completed  this 
most  momentous  toilet.  It  was  set  down  in  the  books 
that  I  was  to  be  torn  from  the  arms  of  my  parents,  as  if 
reluctant  to  be  separated  from  them.  I  believe  I  acted 
the  part  with  more  sincerity  than  is  common  on  such 
occasions ;  for  it  was  not  only  my  parents  from  whom  I 
was  to  be  torn  away,  but  from  a  troop  of  domestics 
whom  I  loved  with  all  the  ardent  tenderness  of  a  young 
girl. 

"  I  was  then  conducted  to  my  new  home  with  music 
and  dancing,  escorted  by  young  boys,  friends  of  ours, 
whose  parents  were  yet  alive ;  one  holding  a  flaming 
torch  while  the  others  carried  my  distaff  and  a  spindle 
with  woollen  yarn — the  only  time  I  ever  saw  them. 
One  boy,  called  Ccifnillus,  carried  a  vase  containing  cer- 
tain bridal  ornaments.     Then  followed  a  splendid  train 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WOKLD.  135 

of  persons  who  officiated  on  this  occasion,  composed  of 
the  friends  of  our  respective  families.  When  the  pro- 
cession reached  the  grand  entrance,  which  was  adorned 
Avith  garlands  and  flowers,  in  compliance  with  ancient 
custom,  I  wound  woollen  yarn  around  the  pillars  and 
anomted  them  with  lard.  This  done,  I  was  taken  up 
hy  Gellius  and  Plautus,  two  of  my  father's  friends  who 
had  been  married  but  once,  by  whom  I  was  carried 
across  the  threshold ;  the  utmost  care  being  taken  that 
I  should  not  touch  it  with  my  foot,  for  this  would  have 
been  a  bad  omen.  On  my  entrance  I  was  met  by  Faus- 
tinus,  who  presented  me  with  fire  and  water,  both  which 
I  was  expected  to  touch." 

"  Pray,  Calliste,  can  you  tell  me  what  all  this  symbol- 
ized ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay.  "  Greasing  the  door-posts  would 
not  be  regarded  as  a  good  beginnmg  for  a  neat  house- 
wife in  my  day." 

"  I  assure  you,"  replied  Calliste  with  a  good-natured 
laugh,  "  I  did  not  know  then,  nor  did  I  ever  make  the 
inquiry.*  In  fact  it  never  occurred  to  me.  I  was  en- 
tirely absorbed  m  thinking  of  that  gentleman  "—bowing 
to  Faustinus ;  "  and  as  for  the  ritual,  I  was  as  reckless  as 
most  young  ladies  are  on  such  occasions." 

♦  Pliny  says,  the  dista£f  and  spindle  were  in  memory  of  Caia  Ccecilia,  or 
Tanaquil,  wife  of  Tarquinius  Priscus,  who,  according  to  the  venerable  Doctor 
Kennett,  "  was  a  famous  spinster."  A  bride  called  herself  Caia  because  it  was  a 
fortunate  name.  The  winding  of  the  posts  with  woollen  list  or  yarn,  and  covering 
them  with  tallow  was  regarded  as  the  "sov'ranst  thing,"  to  keep  out  infection  and 
sorcery.  The  bride  was  lifted  over  the  threshold  because  it  was  sacred  to  Vesta— 
a  chaste  goddess. 


136  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

Calliste  continued :  "  Having  touched  fii'e  and  water 
as  presented  me  by  my  Faustinus,  I  next  saluted  him 
with  all  the  grace  of  maimer  I  could  command ;  and  I 
will  tell  you  privately  " — and  here  Calliste  leaned  for- 
ward, and  in  a  stage-aside,  said:  "it  was  the  result  of 
the  steady  practice  of  a  month  previous ;  this  done,  I 
addressed  to  him.  those  sweet  words :  '  TJbi  tu  Caius,  ego 
Caia.'  * 

"  Thus  I  entered,  distaff  and  spindle  in  hand,  and 
being  seated  on  a  sheepskin,  the  keys  of  the  house  were 
placed  in  my  hands.  Then  followed  the  banquet  styled 
coena  nuptialis,  given  by  Faustinus  to  my  tram  of 
friends.  At  this  feast  I  presided.  The  banquet  over, 
I  was  conducted  by  matrons  to  the  bridal  chamber, 
which  was  magnificent  as  taste  and  wealth  could  con- 
trive ;  the  floor  of  which  was  strewed  with,  flowers.  On 
the  day  following,  Faustinus  gave  another  entertainment 
to  his  friends,  after  which  I  made  certain  sacrifices,  ac- 
cording to  prescribed  customs,  to  the  Dii  Penates,  and 
then  assumed  all  the  management  of  my  new  home. 
Such  were  the  ceremonies  of  a  Roman  marriage  among 
the  Patrician  order.  As  conducted  by  the  citizens  of 
Rome,  it  was  made  offensive  to  all  delicacy  and  modesty. 
Now,  Mrs.  Jay,  had  I  been  a  Christian,  could  I  have 
poured  out  the  Ubations  required  of  me  in  honor  of  the 
gods?  All  these  ceremonies  were  more  or  less  inti- 
mately associated  with  the  religion  of  Rome.     Suppose 

*  "  Where  thou  art  Caius  there  am  I  Caia." 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  137 

I  had  been  one  of  the  slaves  of  Faustinus,  a  poor 
kitchen  drudge?  There  stood  upon  the  hearth  house- 
hold deities  to  be  sacrificed  to  daily ;  there  was  the 
sacred  lamp  to  be  kept  burning,  around  Avhich  the  lares  * 
a,ndi  penates  were  ranged.  And  sitting  at  the  table  with 
other  servants,  I  must  have  eaten  of  meat  offered  to 
idols,  and  been  expected  to  pour  out  of  my  wine-cup, 
my  libation  with  those  about  me,  in  honor  of  the  gods ; 
and  ujjon  festival  days  to  have  joined  in  dances  full  of 
seductive  blandishments.  Every  condition  of  life  has 
its  peculiar  trials  and  tests  of  faith ;  and  I  tlnnk  you  vnW 
admire  the  grace  of  God  our  Saviour,  manifested  by 
multitudes  of  women,  who  in  face  of  all  these  dangers, 
dared  to  embrace  the  religion  of  a  despised  and  cruci- 
fied Saviour — and  he  a  Jew!  The  courage  of  a  man 
was  hardly  equal  to  such  horrors  as  awaited  the  con- 
fession of  Christ ;  and  yet, — with  all  the  tenderness  of  a 
woman's  heart,  torn  by  contending  passions,  the  love  of 
life,  the  shrinking  from  suffering  natural  to  all,  and  felt 
most  by  women ;  the  rending  of  the  ties  of  love  to  her 
parents,  her  husband,  her  cliildren  and  her  household, 
— there  was  no  lack  of  martyred  mothers,  wives  and 
daughters,  in  the  three  first  centuries  of  the  church  of 
Christ." 

•  "  The  domestic  Lares,  like  the  Penates,  formed  the  religious  elements  of  a  Ro- 
man household.  'Wheh  they  took  their  meals  some  portion  was  offered  to  the  Lares. 
When  a  young  bride  entered  the  house  of  her  husband,  her  first  duty  was  to  offer 
a  saorifice  to  the  Lares." — Smith,  vol.  i.  p.  722. 

St.  Chrysostom  has  an  account  of  marriage  rites  in  his  day.     In  addition  to 


138  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

Mrs.  Jay  renewed  her  thanks  to  Calliste  and  Faus- 
tmus  for  all  the  pleasure  she  had  derived  from  this  con- 
versation, so  full  of  new  and  instructive  thoughts  as  it 
had  been  to  her,  saying  in  conclusion :  "  The  grace  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  has  been  gloriously  illus- 
trated in  the  sight  of  angels  and  men  by  the  triumphs  of 
the  cross  over  Pagan  Rome.  And  there  is  yet  another 
to  be  accomplished  when  the  prophecies  against  Papal 
Rome  shall  aU  be  fulfilled ;  when  the  angel  of  God  shall 
come  down  from  heaven  endowed  with  great  power, 
enlightening  the  face  of  the  earth  with  the  glory  of  his 
presence,  and  lifting  up  his  voice  shall  cry  mightily, 
"  Babylon  the  Great,  the  mother  of  harlots  and  of  mys- 
tery, is  fallen,  is  fallen !" 

"  Can  it  be,"  cried  Faustinus,  looking  at  Perpetua, 
"that  Rome  has  become  the  Anti-Christ  of  St.  Paul, 
and  the  mystical  Babylon  of  St.  John  ?" 

"  Such  is  the  faith  of  all  Protestant  churches,"  repUed 
St.  Perpetua. 

"  Come,"  said  Faustinus  rising,  "  let  us  change  our 
places  and  our  thoughts.  I  begin  to  feel  the  chill  atmos- 
phere of  the  Campagna  of  Rome  about  me.     See !  there 

all  that  has  been  given — speaking  of  the  trials  to  which  a  young  bride  was  sub- 
jected, he  says:  "Not  only  in  the  day,  but  also  in  the  evening,  men  are  enlisted, 
who  having  been  made  drunk,  besotted  and  InSamed  with  luxurious  fare,  are 
brought  in  to  look  upon  the  beauty  of  the  damseL  Nor  is  this  all ;  but  they  led 
her  through  the  market-place  in  pomp,  to  made  an  exhibition  of  her,  conducting 
her  with  torches  late  in  the  evening,  so  that  she  might  be  seen  of  all.  And  they  do 
not  stop  here  ;  but  with  shameful  songs  do  they  conduct  her  ....  What  can 
one  say  of  these  songs,  crammed  as  they  are  with  all  uncleanness  ?" 


yCENER   IN    ANOTHER   WOKI.D. 


139 


are  the  young  servitors  of  the  palace  gathermg  to  keep 
this  festival  day,  under  the  shade  trees ;  I  am  sure  you 
will  all  be   glad  of  such  a  change  as  they  will   offer 


us. 


"  With  pleasure,"  said  Mrs.  Jay ;  and  with  a  volition 
they  landed  on  the  shore,  leaving  Persis  to  ferry  herself 
over  the  lake  alone. 


140  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Party  returns  to  the  Palace  Gardens — Scene— The  Festivity  of  the  Servitors — 
Their  Dances  described — Mrs.  Jay's  Colloquy  with  St.  Perpetua  about  Dancing 
— Miss  Mehitable  Smith  arrives— Her  Horror  at  the  Sight — Her  Angel's  con- 
trast between  the  Dancing  of  Earth  and  the  World  of  Beauty — Tibertius  pves 
a  Recitation  to  Mrs.  Jay  and  Perpetua  of  a  Sermon  Preached  in  the  Metropolis 
by  St.  John  Chrysostom. 

The  day  had  reached  its  meridian,  and  a  throng  of 
young  persons  were  clustered  in  happy  groups  in  their 
gala  costumes,  awaiting  the  coming  of  their  corypheus 
to  begin  their  festive  dances.  His  coming  was  told  by 
a  sound  of  music,  whereupon  they  all  ran  to  meet  him  and. 
his  band  of  some  sixty  orchestral  performers.  For  these 
a  temporary  platform  had  been  already  erected.  So  soon 
as  the  performers  were  seated,  the  signal  sounded  for  the 
opening  dance,  when  the  confused  groups  became  a 
circle.  The  male  and  female  choreutae*  sang  as  they 
danced,  and  their  gliding  graceful  movements  were 
inexpressibly  beautiful.     At  times  they  were  so  mixed 

*  "  The  original  of  the  chorus"  says  Dr.  Kennett,  "  was  at  first  notlung  else 
but  a  company  of  musicians  sinking  and  dancing  in  honor  of  Bacchus." — Art, 
"  The  Comedy  and  Tragedy." 


BOKNES    IX    ANOTHER    WOKLD.  141 

as  to  show  only  an  undistinguishable  mass,  out  of  which 
these  youtli  with  magical  celerity  evolved  the  most 
graceful  figures. 

Mrs.  Jay  looked  on  with  absorbed  attention.  Per- 
petua,  as  one  dance  was  ended  and  another  began, 
explained  them,  saying,  "  These  bear  a  very  close  resem- 
blance in  their  cadences  and  measure  to  those  kno^sTi 
in  ancient  Greece  as  the  Lydian,  Dorian  and  Phrygian 
dances." 

"  Pray  explain !  How  could  the  ancient  Greeks  have 
obtained  the  knowledge  of  these  dances  ?"  asked  Mrs. 
Jay. 

"That  is  a  very  natural  inquiiy  for  Mrs.  Jay  to 
make,"  said  Faustinus,  "  and  I  am  cmious  to  know  what 
answer  you  have  for  it,  Perpetua." 

"  I  have  a  re^^ly,  which  is  satisfactory  to  myself,  and  if, 
Faustinus,  you  do  not  approve  of  it,  I  shall  task  your  inge- 
nuity to  offer  a  better  solution  for  the  fact.  My  answer 
then  to  Mrs.  Jay's  inquiry  is  this :  there  is  in  all  worlds  a 
reaching  forth  of  the  soul  for  the  ideal  of  grace  and 
loveliness,  which  exists  in  its  unattainable  perfection  in 
the  mind  of  God.  Now  the  Greeks  had  attained  a  higher 
and  loftier  conception  of  this  ideal  of  the  beautiful  in 
nature  and  art  than  any  other  j^eople  that  have  lived  on 
our  earth.  They,  therefore,  in  their  dances  as  well  as  in 
sculpture  and  architecture  attained  to  a  nearer  con- 
formity to  this  world  of  art  and  beauty  than  all  others. 
And  I  will  say  further,  that  by  the  law  of  life,  impressed 


142  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

by  the  Creator  on  all  pure  intelligences,  this  pursuit  of 
the  ideal  in  nature  and  art  is  an  essential  element  in  the 
unceasing  happiness  of  all  worlds." 

Faustinus  and  Calliste  bowed  their  approval,  and  then 
took  leave  of  St.  Perpetua  and  Mrs.  Jay,  and  walked 
toward  the  palace. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  dancing,  St.  Perpetua,  for 
beings  of  the  present  day,  upon  our  world,  peopled  by 
those  whose  very  natures  are,  not  to  say  totally 
depraved,  but,  as  is  stated  more  cautiously,  and  it  may 
be  with  more  wisdom,  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
Article  ix.,  'Very  far  gone  from  original  righteousness, 
and  is  of  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil.'  " 

Perpetua  replied :  "  Dancing,  in  its  simplest  forms,  is 
the  natural  expression  of  youthful  joy  and  gladness. 
See  !  how  lovely  is  this  sight.  There  is  no  movement, 
no  look  but  is  the  sign  of  innocence  out  of  the  very 
soul  of  purity." 

"  Oh  yes,  it  is  beautiful,  but  the  young  men  of  the 
present  age  are  not  angels,  if  our  young  ladies  are." 

"  It  is  a  vexed  question  I  know,"  rephed  Perpetua, 
"  and  one  hard  to  be  decided.  There  are  no  two  villages 
even,  much  less  towns  and  cities,  where  the  conditions 
of  morals  and  culture  are  alike,  and  consequently  no 
rule  can  be  prescribed  which  it  would  be  safe  to  foUow. 
Only  this  is  forever  true,  piety  ought  to  make  home  the 
centre  of  all  happiness ;  and  this  is  done  by  guiding,  and  not 
damming  up,  all  natural  expressions  of  youthful  gaiety." 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  143 

Pcrsis  coming  up,  Perpetua  requested  her  to  keep 
Mrs.  Jay  company,  and  promising  to  see  her  in  the 
evening,  took  leave. 

Persis  was  delighted  to  explain  all  the  dances  to  Mrs. 
Jay,  and  to  point  out  those  who  excelled,  telhng  her 
their  names  and  occupations  in  and  about  the  palace. 
While  they  stood  conversing,  a  female  and  her  angel 
descended,  and  alighted  near  Mrs.  Jay  and  Persis.  The 
new-comer  lifted  up  her  hands  with  amazement  as  she 
looked  on  the  dancei's,  and  turning  to  Mrs.  Jay,  she 
exclaimed :  "  Dancing  in  heaven !  Avho  would  have 
thought  it !"  * 

Mrs.  Jay,  with  that  delightful  perversity  Avliich  adds 
so  much  to  the  attractiveness  of  all  brilliant  women, 
replied  :  "  And  why  not  dancing,  madam  ?  What  do 
you  see  in  this  but  new  manifestations  of  God's  love  of 
beauty  ?     Is  not  this  the  perfection  of  grace  ?" 

"  Dear  me  !"  exclaimed  the  lady,  taking  a  long  breath, 
and  looking  around  after  her  angel,  as  if  suffocating,  for 
relief  "  I  did  not  expect  to  hear  this  nonsense  about 
the  poetry  of  motion  repeated  here.     The  high  jiriest  of 

♦  Milton  thus  ciescribes  dancing  in  heaven  : 

"  That  day,  as  other  solemn  days,  they  spent 
In  song  and  dance  about  the  sacred  hill; 
Mystical  dance    .    .    .    mazes  intricate 
Eccentric,  intervolved,  yet  regular. 
Then  most,  when  most  irregular  they  seem  ; 
And  in  their  motions  harmony  divine 
So  soothes  her  charming  tones,  that  God's  own  ear 
Listens  delighted."— Pa/'odwe  ZmsI,  book  v.,  line  617. 


144  THE   GATES   WIDE   OIEX ;   Oil, 

modern  Pantheism  might  well  say  to  his  lady  friend, 
while  sitting  in  the  Boston  theatre  gazing,  whUe  Fanny 
EUsler  was  making  a  pirouette,  with  a  steadiness  that 
would  have  looked  an  eagle  blind,  '  Maria,  this  is 
religion ! '  but  I  must  say  this  sight  takes  me  all 
aback !" 

"  How  long  have  you  been  here  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  I  have  this  instant  alighted,  direct  from  the  Holy 
City,  and  here  I  am  in  the  midst  of  a  mixed  multitude  of 
dancing  men  and  women  !" 

"  You  have  doubtless  come  then  from  some  town 
settled  by  a  primitive  people,  far  removed  from  the 
centres  of  social  life  ?" 

"  No,  madam,  I  came  from  town  of  Newbury-port,  and 
have  been  for  fifty  years  a  member  in  good  standing  in 
the  orthodox  church — a  church  which  has  thus  far 
escaped  the  march  of  modern  refinement." 

"  Indeed !  and  will  you  tell  me  if  you  have  allowed 
the  introduction  of  a  pitch-pipe  into  your  singing 
seats  ?» 

The  lady  was  a  Httle  embarrassed,  and  replied,  that 
she  had  heard  that  old  Dr.  Spring  had  publicly  reproved 
so  much  as  the  use  of  a  pitch-pipe ;  but  since  his  day,  in 
regard  to  music,  there  had  been  a  great  change  in  public 
opinion,  and  now  they  had  not  only  one  pitch-piiDC  but 
many,  for  they  had  the  most  costly  organ  that  was 
in  the  town. 

"  Ah  well,"  said  Mrs.  Jay,  as  she  bowed  to  leave  her 


.    SCENES    IN   ANOTHEK   WOKLD.  145 

with  Persis,  "  when  you  have  been  here  a  year  or  less, 
you  will  look  on  such  a  scene  as  this  divested  of  all 
associations  of  earth,  and  will  thank  God  that  he  has 
conferred  on  pure  natures  such  sweet  pastimes ;  and  it 
may  be  you  will  join  them  in  their  dance,  as  I  would  do 
now,  if  I  knew  how." 

The  angel  of  the  new-comer,  who  had  left  her  for  a 
moment  to  greet  his  friends  among  the  servitors,  now 
returned  to  the  lady,  who  stood  gazing  with  a  look  of 
painful  intensity  upon  the  gay  scene.  She  recovered 
herself  on  his  addressing  her,  and  in  a  hesitating  way 
asked  how  his  mind  was  affected  by  the  sight  of  such 
sports  as  tliese.  He,  who  had  been  her  guardian  angel 
from  the  day  of  her  conversion, — had  studied  all  her 
moods,  knew  every  sentiment  she  had  entertained,  and 
almost  her  thoughts  fi-om  her  looks,  at  once  compre- 
hended her  feelings  and  motive  in  making  this  inquiry. 

"  Wait  awhile,  Miss  Mehitable,  and  you  will  look  at 
things  as  they  are,  and  not  through  the  medium  of  the 
atmosphere  of  your  native  town." 

"  It  may  be  so,"  she  replied,  "  but  it  upsets  all  I  have 
ever  conceived  of  as  belonging  to  the  life  of  Avorlds  of 
light.  It  is  beautiful !  I  never  saw  dancing  before  ; 
and  if  this  be  the  aspect  of  one  of  our  fashionable  assem- 
blies, I  do  not  wonder  it  should  be  so  fascinating  to  the 
young." 

"  Earth  has  no  such  scene  as  this,  my  sister.  Here 
you   see  heavenly  grace,  unfeigned  gentleness  and  the 

1 


146  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

most  complete  unconsciousness  of  self.  Goodness  and 
purity  glows  in  every  feature  and  beams  from  every  eye. 
But  had  you  visited  those  grand  saloons  of  earth,  you 
would  have  seen  the  floor  of  the  hall  covered  with 
extremely  well-dressed  jaersons,  distressingly  anxious  to 
be  perfectly  proper,  languidly  walking  through  quad- 
rilles, paired  but  not  matched,  whose  features,  schooled 
into  marble,  wake  only  to  show  some  token  of  being 
excessively  ennuyed^  but  at  a  later  hour,  polking  — 
rushing  from  one  end  of  the  hall  to  the  other,  or  circling 
round  and  round  in  the  seductive  and  bewildering  waltz." 

"  I  am  glad  you  do  not  sanction  the  dancing  of  the 
lower  world,  if  you  find  this  commendable,"  repUed 
Miss  Mehitable.  "  You  must  not  leave  me  imtil  I  have 
become  familiar  with  the  scenes  about  me,  for  though 
they  are  pleasing  to  me,  they  are  as  yet  strange." 

"  Let  me  now  introduce  you  to  the  Mayor  of  the 
Palace,  who  will  make  you  welcome,  and  do  not  doubt  I 
shall  be  equally  devoted  to  you  as  ever,  until  my  Creator 
shall  send  me  on  some  other  mission  to  earth.  Let  us  go 
to  the  palace." 


The  singing  and  dancing  continued,  one  set  following 
another,  untU  the  chimes  of  the  temple  were  heard, 
when  they  dispersed  without  delay,  equally  happy  in  the 
discharge  of  duties  as  in  their  festive  dances  and  song- 
singing. 


SCENES    m    ANOTHER   WORLD.  147 

Mrs.  Jay,  accompanied  by  Persis,  went  to  the  palace. 
She  found  the  porticos,  great  saloons  thronged  with 
the  Redeemed  who  had  returned  from  liearing  an  ora- 
tion in  the  new  "Academy  of  Music,"  at  the  Metro- 
politan City ;  delivered  by  no  less  a  person  than  St.  John 
Chrysostom.  They  were  in  raptures  over  it;  and  the 
scene  was  described  to  her  by  a  young  artist,  who  was 
one  of  the  saiut's  stars  of  glory.  It  was  a  pleasure  all 
.unexpected  to  them ;  for  the  saint  was  on  a  mission  to  a 
distant  world  and  could  stay  but  a  day.  The  messenger 
with  the  news  had  reached  the  palace  after  Mrs.  Jay 
had  left  in  the  morning  with  Persis.  Whereupon,  all 
who  could  be  notified,  sped  away  to  the  metropolis  in 
order  to  listen  to  this  eminent  and  eloquent  preacher. 

"Oh,  that  you  could  have  heard  him!"  said  this  artist 
to  Mrs.  Jay.  "  He  was  always  '  golden-mouthed ;'  but 
by  no  words  of  mine  can  you  conceive  of  the  dignity  of 
his  form ;  the  grace  of  his  action ;  the  light  which  beams 
from  'his  eye ;  and  then  the  richness  of  his  tones,  their 
various  iuflectious,  from  a  gentle  whisper  to  the  rolling 
tlumder.  Ah !  he  has  not  been  in  vain  all  this  whUe  a 
hard  student  in  the  schools  of  eloquence.  So  much, 
madam,  for  his  manner;  but  his  theme — 'The  glory 
of  Christ.'  It  was  one  he  loved  to  dwell  upon  fourteen 
centuries  ago,  while  I  with  multitudes  of  other  converts 
to  the  faith,  sat  at  his  feet  in  Antioch.  After  having 
proceeded  for  an  hour  or  more,  for  I  cannot  now  recoA'^er 
the  time,  he  became  rapt  away  with  his  subject,  when  the 


148  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

audience  l)y  one  impulse  rose  and  stood,  every  eye  fixed, 
every  soul  absorbed  by  his  kindling  eloquence;  and 
when  he  had  climbed  to  a  vast  height,  taking  us  up 
.into  the  heaven  of  heavens,  he  closed  abruptly,  as  if 
his  conceptions  outran  all  language  t,o  express.  Where- 
upon the  vast  audience  found  relief  for  their  burdened 
breasts  by  bursting  forth  and  singing  'The  Hymn  to 
the  Trinity.'  This  over,  we  dispersed;  and  here  we 
are,  every  one  filled  to  overflowing  with  the  theme  so 
grandly  upheld  by  my  beloved  father  into  the  kingdom 

of  God." 

St.  Perpetua  coming  up,  Mrs.  Jay  expressed  her  re- 
gret that  she  should  have  been  the  cause  of  her  losmg 
this  splendid  oration.  Perpetua  assured  Mrs.  Jay,  that 
she  was  well  content  to  have  spent  the  day  as  she  had 
done  with  her;  and  that  Calliste  and  herself  had  agreed 
to  call  upon  her,  at  her  parlor, the  next  morning;  and 
i\ith  her  permission  she  would  bring  Faustinus ;  to  which 
Mrs.  Jay  acceded  with  her  thanks,  for  their  intended 

kindness. 

"  I  have  not  seen  Mr.  Laurens  and  your  friend  Peter," 
said  Perpetua;  "do  you  know  where  they  have  gone?" 

"  I  am  sure  I  do  not ;  and  now,  for  the  first  tune,  have 
I  missed  them,"  replied  Mrs.  Jay. 

Perpetua  said:  "I  learn  there  are  several  arrivals  to- 
day  from  our  world;  and  I  want  to  find  them  out. 
Have  you  seen  any  one  of  these  new  people?" 

"I  met  with  a  lady  from  Newbury  Old  To^ti,  in 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  149 

New  England  somewliere,  who  seemed  to  me,  consider- 
ing the  maturity  of  her  years,  quite  fresh.  We  met  in 
the  gardens  where  she  had  just  alighted ;  and  while  her 
angel  ran  to  greet  some  of  liis  friends,  we  entered  into 
a  discourse  about  the  propriety  of  dancing  in  heaven." 

"  Of  which  you  no  doulot  disapproved,"  replied  Per- 
petua,  smiling. 

"  Oh,  you  do  not  know  me,  St.  Perpetua.  I  did  no 
such  thing.  I  found  this  lady  so  full  of  virtuous  indig- 
nation, that  I  took  up  the  defence  of  dancing." 

"And  did  she  think  that  these  dances  of  ours  were 
copied  from  out  the  ball-rooms  of  the  present  day  ?  If 
so,  I  should  like  to  know  in  what  part  of  the  world  they 
are  practised.  I  know  of  nothing  in  vogue  in  the  courts 
of  Europe,  or  the  republican  homes  of  the  New  World, 
which  can  be  compared  with  them." 

"  Oh,  this  lady,  in  all  likelihood,  never  was  present  in 
a  ball-room  in  her  life." 

"You  are  no  doubt  right  in  your  guess,  Mrs.  Jay. 
Our  new-come  sister  will  be  able  to  discern  the  differ- 
ence which  exists  between  words  and  things  after  she 
has  been  at  home  here  with  us  for  a  little  while." 

Tibertius,  a  sculptor,  who  was  a  martyr  of  the  third 
century,  and  who  was  a  beloved  friend  of  St.  Perpetua, 
and  had  already  been  presented  to  Mrs,  Jay,  now  came 
up  and  conversed  .  awhile  concerning  the  oration  of 
St.  Chrysostom. 


150  THE  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  Come,  Tibertius,"  said  Perpetua,  "  go  to  my  rooms 
with  me  and  Mrs.  Jay,  and  give  us  a  recitation  of 
tliis  famous  sermon."  To  this  invitation  he  at  once 
assented,  and  when  they  were  seated  in  Perpetua's  jDar- 
lor,  Tibertius  recited  the  oration,  word  for  word,  with 
every  inflection  of  voice,  and  every  gesture  used  by 
Chrysostom.     Such  memories  have  the  Redeemed ! 

"  How  wonderful  are  your  memory  and  powers  of  imi- 
tion!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Jay  to  Tibertius  when  he  closed. 
"  I  have  never  seen  anythmg  like  it  before.' 

"  Oh,  do  not  think  my  recitation  gives  any  true  idea 
of  St.  Chrysostom's  manner.  And  then,  too,  there  is 
wanting  that  wave  of  sympathy  which  rose  and  swept 
over  that  vast  audience,  helping  every  soul  to  a  higher 
point  of  rapture.  I  could  keep  you  longer,  but  the 
chimes  are  striking  twelve,  and  I  bid  you  good-night." 

Tibertius  gone,  the  ladies  separated  soon  after,  promis- 
ing to  meet  again  early  in  the  morning. 


KOTE.  Doctor  Isaac  Watts,  in  his  sermon  "Ori  tJie  Happiness  of  Separate  Spir- 
its," asks,  "  Are  we  sure  that  there  are  no  such  entertainments  "  as  Iiere  described? 
And  further,  "  May  not  Christ  himself  be  the  everlasting  Teacher  of  the  church?  May 
He  not  at  solemn  seasons  summon  all  heaven  to  hear  him  publish  some  new  discov- 
eries of  nature  or  of  grace?" 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  151 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Mrs.  Jay  rises  at  an  early  Hour— Her  Recollections  of  her  Infancy— She  ascenda 
into  the  Air  and  seats  herself  on  a  Cloud— Her  Thoughts  of  God— Returns  to  the 
Palace  to  receive  a  Morning  Call  from  Perpetua  and  Calliste  in  her  own  Room  . 
—Their  Colloquy— Of  the  School  of  Eloquence— Why  there  are  no  "  Strong- 
minded  Women  "  in  Heaven— Perpetua's  Opinion  of  Woman's  Rights— Of  Modern 
Fashions— Influence  of  the  Science  of  Phrenology  on  Beauty— Variety  of  dresses 
now  worn — Paint  not  now  used— Of  Diamonds— Modern  Invention  of  making 
Money  out  of  Paper— Of  the  Fashions  at  Carthage — Advantage  of  an  Auto-da- 
Fe — Satirical  sayings  of  TertuUian— Of  Celibacy— Asceticism— Monasticism — 
Rise  of  Nunneries— Character  of  Girls  educated  in  Convents — Of  the  Convents 
of  the  United  States — Of  escaped  Nuns— Of  political  Parties  in  the  United 
States — The  Admiration  of  certain  Mothers  for  Nunneries  as  Seminaries  of 
Education — Perpetua  and  Mrs.  Jay  discuss  how  these  Prisons  of  the  Unhappy 
can  be  made  subject  to  Law. 

Mrs.  Jay  w' as  wakened  by  the  song  of  birds,  and  rising — 
having  renewed  her  thanksgivuigs  to  God  for  life  and 
redemption — she  w' alked  out  upon  the  piazza,  listening  to 
the  melodies  of  the  garden,  and  watching  the  dawning 
of  the  day.  Her  mind,  full  of  the  activities  of  immor- 
tality, recalled  her  earliest  recollections  of  childhood,  the 
emotions  of  her  soul  when  she  heard  for  the  first  time  a 
bird  carol  his  morning  song  ;  and  with  this  reminiscence 
came  thronging  up  the  memories  of  her  child's  life ;  and 


152  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

these  came  not  dim  and  misty,  but  with  the  entirety  of 
first  impressions.  Her  childish  aspirations,  her  little  sor- 
rows, her  blind  kitten,  her  chiiia  doll  with  its  defaced 
nose — all  were  recalled  and  renewed,  as  vividly  as  the 
reality  had  been,  with  all  the  inconceivable  rapidity  of 
which  the  soul  is  endowed ;  of  which  drowning  men, 
and  men  in  great  peril,  are  fearfully  conscious,  who  live 
over  a  long  life  in  a  few  seconds  of  time.  This  was  to 
Mrs.  Jay,  as  it  is  to  all  happy  beings,  a  blissful  exercise 
of  the  soul ;  for  such  is  the  constitution  of  the  mind  of 
the  Redeemed,  that  those  inkspots  of  memory  *  which 
once  rose  unbidden,  are  all  washed  out,  and  events  the 

*  The  Holy  Scriptures  teach  us  as  follows  : — Ps.  ciii.  12  :  "  As  far  as  the  east  is 
from  the  west,  so  far  hath  he  removed  our  transgressions  from  us."  Isaiah  xliv.  22  : 
"  I  have  blotted  out  as  a  thick  cloud  thy  transgressions ;  and,  as  a  cloud  thy 
sins  ;"  and  in  the  4-3d  chapter,  25th  verse  :  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out 
thy  transgressions  for  my  own  sake  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins." 

Babbage,  in  his  Chapter  on  Future  Punishments,  says  :  "  To  the  major  part  of 
our  race  oblivion  would  be  the  greatest  boon,"  and  that  the  misery  of  the  wicked 
may  be,  with  exalted  moral  feelings,  to  survey  their  past  existence.  But  oblivion 
is  impossible  ;  for  thought  is  eternal.     Goethe  goes  so  far  as  to  say  : 

"  They  are  not  shadows  which  produce  a  dream : 
I  know  they  are  eternal,  for  they  are." 

Babbage,  in  the  same  chapter,  asks  :  "  Who  has  not  felt  the  painful  memory  of 
departed  folly?  Who  has  not  at  times  found  crowding  on  his  recollection, 
thoughts,  feelings,  scenes,  by  all  perhaps  but  himself  forgotton,  which  force  them- 
selves involuntarily  on  his  attention?  Who  has  not  reproached  himself  with  the 
bitterest  regret  at  the  follies  he  has  thought,  or  said,  or  acted?  Time  brings  no 
alleviation  to  these  periods  of  morbid  memory  :  the  weaknesses  of  youthful  days, 
as  well  as  those  of  later  life,  come  equally  unbidden  and  unarranged,  to  mock  out 
attention  and  claim  their  condemnation  from  our  severer  judgment." 


•     SCENES    IN    ANOTHEK    WOKLD.  153 

most  painful  to  them  iu  life,  are  now  seen  in  all  their 
hearings  as  heightening  the  glorious  grace  and  mercy 
of  Christ  in  their  salvation ;  and  no  more  offensive  to 
the  soul  than  are  shadows  in  a  picture  by  which  the 
bright  points  are  relieved  and  made  resplendently  beauti- 
ful by  strong  contrasts. 

Seeing  a  little  islet  cloud  bathed  in  the  golden  rays  of 
tlie  ascending  sun,  Mrs.  Jay,  by  a  gentle  volition,  rose 
gracefully  like  a  fihny  vapor  into  the  atmosphere  ;  and 
having  reached  the  gorgeous  couch,  there  reclined,  lost 
iu  transcendent  thoughts  of  God  and  his  beneficence  as 
manifested  in  his  works  of  creation.  She  Avished  to  be 
alone  with  Ilim,  Avhose  immanence  pervaded  the  immen- 
sities of  space,  and  of  which  only  the  Redeemed  are  con- 
scious— akin  to  waves  of  light,  forever  flowing  forth 
from  the  throne  of  God. 

She  had  remained  there  for  hours,  floatiDg*far  away 
upon  the  cloud,  when  she  awoke  to  the  recollection  of 
her  morning  engagement  with  her  friends.  With  the 
rapidity  of  an  angel  she  flew  back  to  the  palace  and  has- 
tened to  her  room,  just  as  Persis  was  about  to  enter 
with  a  message  from  St.  Perpetua,  announcing  her  com- 
ing accompanied  by  Calliste. 

Mrs.  Jay,  aided  by  Persis,  arranged  her  seats  for 
lier  guests  who  soon  entered,  and  after  their  morning 
congratulations,  Mrs.  Jay  asked  after  Fausthius. 

Calliste  replied :  "  He  and  Tibertius  liavc  gone  on  a 
visit  to  the  metropolis,  to  see  a  Mork  on  which  Tibertius 

1*  ■ 


154  THE   GATES  WIDE   OPEN;   OR,       ' 

is  now  engaged,  and  to  walk  throngh  the  galleries  of 
Art,  and  see  what  has  been  done  these  last  fourteen  cen- 
turies ;  and  do  you  know,  Mrs.  Jay,  he  dared  to  say  that 
he  would  be  one  too  many,  for  we  should  wish  to  talk 
over  matters  of  our  own ;  and  I  told  liim  in  reply,  that 
he  was  very  thoughtful  for  us,  and  that  he  was  right ; 
for  I  do  love,  sometimes,  to  be  alone.  Is  not  that  wife- 
like?" 

"  Oh  yes !"  said  Mrs.  Jay,  "  and  I  dearly  love  to  hear 
you  say  so,  Calliste ;  and  that  you  have  not  yet  become 
a  perfect  saint." 

"  Such  as  is  Perpetua  ?"  said  Perpetua,  smiling. 

"  No,  my  dear  saint,"  cried  Mrs.  Jay.  "  I  never  had 
such  a  thought.  Every  sentiment  inspired  by  you  in  my 
heart  has  been  fuU  of  satisfied  affection.  What  I  meant 
was  this — and  I  said  it  under  certain  impressions  long 
since  made  upon  my  mind — that  I  was  glad  to  hear 
CaUiste  speak  as  she  did,  out  of  the  naturalness  of  her 
womanly  heart.  Now  what  could  be  more  wearisome 
than  our  being  forever  aU  alike  perfect,  seeing  everything 
in  the  same  light,  impressed  in  the  same  way  and  to  the 
same  extent.  Should  we  not  long  for  a  change  of  any 
sort  to  break  up  the  distressing  monotony  of  such  an 
existence?  Therefore  it  is  I  am  glad  Calliste  retains 
her  womanly  likings,  to  be  sometimes  away  from  her 
dearest  Faustinus,  and  in  grand  conclave  with  her  own 
sex.  This  is  all  delightful ;  and  now  then  what  shall  we 
talk   about?      Calliste,   were    you    not    sorry  to   have 


SCENES    IN   ANOTIIEE    WORLD.  155 

missed  the  oratiou  of  St.  John  Chiysostom,  yester- 
day ?" 

"  I  Avas  sorry  we  were  not  all  there  to  listen  to  him. 
Tibertius  says  it  was  the  grandest  effort  he  has  yet 
heai'd.  He  hopes  to  go  into  the  school  of  eloquence  so 
soon  as  he  has  comijleted  the  group  he  is  now  at  work 
upon,  I  tell  huu  his  eloquent  thoughts  will  live  in  mar- 
ble, informing  and  elevating  the  minds  of  all  coming 
ages,  and  that  he  is  as  much  an  evangeUst  as  St.  Cliry- 
sostom." 

"  Doubtless,"  replied  Mrs.  Jay.  "  The  aim  and  end 
of  oratory  is  to  mould  the  minds  of  men  and  angels,  and 
sculpture  reaches  the  soul  through  the  eye  as  oratory 
does  through  the  ear ;  and  yet,  Calliste,  I  sympathize 
with  Tibertius  in  his  longing  for  the  power  of  swaying 
a  living  multitude,  whose  very  life  hangs  upon  the  hps 
of  the  orator.  But  I  suppose,  Perpetua,  we  have  here 
neither  women  orators  nor  'strong-minded  women.' 
How  is  it,  my  dear  sister  ?" 

"  There  are  no  '  strong-minded  women '  here,  Mrs. 
Jay,  only  because  we  have  no  woman's  wrongs  to  be 
righted,"  said  Perpetua ;  and  turning  to  Calliste,  she 
went  on,  " '  strong-minded  Avomen '  is  a  popular  cant 
phrase  of  the  present  day,  my  CaUiste,  ironically  applied 
to  those  of  our  sex  Avho  have  dared  to  stand  forth  in 
defence  of  the  rights  of  women  ;  to  their  just  and  equal 
claims  to  the  control  of  their  children ;  the  rewards  of 
their  own  labor,  and  possession  of  their  own  property." 


156  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  Ah !  if  tliey  had  rested  in  these  demands,  Perpetua, 
there  woidd  have  been  no  grounds  for  the  ridicule  of  the 
world ;  but  they  claim  to  be  senators,  judges  and  chief- 
tains ;  and  in  a  word  to  do  Avhatever  men  perform  in  all 
the  departments  of  civil,  religious  and  military  service. 
Now  that  is  the  madness  of  monomania  intensified." 

"Pardon  me,  Mrs.  Jay,"  replied  Perpetua,  in  a  quiet, 
even  tone,  which  was  in  sweet  contrast  with  the  earnest- 
ness of  Mi"s.  Jay.  "Do  not  injustice  to  a  great  cause 
by  charging  upon  it  the  extravagant  and  impracticable 
claims  of  women,  in  whose  minds  the  rebound  tran- 
scends the  conditions  of  human  society.  God  has  not 
created  man  and  woman  ever  to  be  antagonistic  in  their 
social  or  domestic  relations ;  but  to  be  forever  the  com- 
plement of  each  other." 

"  It  is  very  sweet  to  hear  such  words  as  these,  Per- 
petua ;  but  there  is  one  little  obstacle  to  be  surmounted 
to  make  these  new  views  of  society  work  harmoniously, 
and  that  is  this:  women  as  now  constituted  are  not, 
all  of  them^  angels  of  peace  and  gladness." 

"It  seems  to  me,"  said  Calliste,  "that  Christianity  has 
not  done  all  for  woman  that  was  hoped  for,  if  a  mother 
has  not  an  equal  right  to  her  children's  aifections,  and 
the  sole  right  of  her  own  property.  Why,  Perpetua, 
though  our  husbands  could  drive  us  away  from  their 
homes,  they  were  not  allowed  to  retain  a  single  drachma 
of  our  property." 

" Indeed !"  exclaimed  Mrs,  Jay.     "Was  it  so?    Then 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  157 

that  was  one  bright  sjiot  in  the  life  of  a  Roman  wife 
which  has  been  lost  to  lis  in  the  subversion  of  the 
empire.  Now,  a  woman,  except  in  a  few  of  our  North 
American  States,  gives  up  everything  she  calls  her  own, 
for  the  doubtful  advantage  of  having  a  husband." 

"Then  I  shall  be  on  the  side  of  'strong-minded 
women,'  Mrs.  Jay;  and  I  wonder  how  there  can  be 
two  sides  to  such  a  question  as  this,  among  the  wives 
and  mothers  of  the  day," 

"  Oh,  but  there  is !  and  Calliste,  you  would  not  be 
found  with  these  strong-minded  women,  for  the  reason 
that,  for  the  most  part,  they  are  all  free-thinkers,  and 
hold  the  teachings  of  the  Word  of  God  in  great  con- 
tempt." 

"Is  that  so?  Alas!  how  hard  it  is  to  find  the  ex- 
act mean  in  any  of  the  great  reforms  of  our  world. 
Everything  goes  on  by  conflict  of  some  sort ;  and  God 
only,  from  antagonistic  forces,  can  work  out  perfect 
ellipses  in  worlds  above  and  worlds  below." 

Calliste  now  addressed  Mrs.  Jay:  "In  all  ages  of 
the  world,  my  sister,  dress  has  exerted  an  important 
influence  upon  the  position  and  destiny  of  woman. 
Luxury  had  reached  a  wonderful  height  Avhcn  I  left 
Italy  last,  in  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century.  Hoav 
is  it  now?  Are  women  the  slaves  of  dress  now  as  they 
were  then?  I  hope  not,  and  beg  you  will  tell  me  what 
are  the  customs  and  fashions  now  prevailing." 

Mrs.  Jay  replied:  "The  dress  of  a  modern  lady  is 


158  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

vastly  different  from  what  it  must  have  been  in  your 
day,  if  we  are  to  judge  of  your  costumes  Tby  the  statues 
that  have  come  down  to  us.  To  begin  with  the  hair ; 
this  is  now  wo3'n  parted  and  brushed  plain,  sometimes  in 
puffs,  sometimes  it  is  plaited,  and  fastened  low  down  in 
the  neck.  This  fashion  prevails,  because  of  the  form  of 
the  bonnet ;  which,  just  now,  is  a  pretty  creation  of  lace 
and  artificial  flowers,  and  so  placed  as  to  cover  the 
organs  of  inhabitiveness  and  philoprogenitiveness ;  leav- 
ing the  face  and  head  uncovered  as  far  up  as  the  organ 
of  firmness." 

"Pray  pause  one  minute,  Mrs.  Jay,"  cried  Calliste, 
"  and  tell  me  what  all  these  words  mean.  What  kind 
of  organs  are  you  speaking  of?" 

"  Certainly,"  said  Mrs.  Jay,  laughing.  "  I  had  for- 
gotten, Calliste,  that  you  know  nothmg  of  the  new 
science  of  Phrenology.  It  supplies  a  most  convenient 
map  of  the  head,  and  is  universally  adopted  both  by 
believers  and  skeptics.  The  brain  is  not  now  regarded 
as  a  unit,  but  is  believed  to  be  congeries  of  organs 
which  '  crop  out,'  as  geologists  say,  upon  the  surface  of 
the  brain ;  and  make  certain  bumps  on  the  skixU,  which 
are  designated  by  names,  such  as  those  I  have  men- 
tioned ;  so  that  now-a-days  one  does  not  need  any  other 
index  of  character  than  the  curves  of  the  cranium, 
which  tell  all  that  is  sedulously  concealed  by  men  and 
women,  under  a  courteous  mien  of  their  passional  ten- 
dencies." 


SCENES   IN   ANOTILEK   WOKLD.  169 

"  And  do  you  confide  in  it  implicitly  ?"  asked  Calliste, 
with  a  look  of  amazement  at  such  a  "discerning  of 
spirits"  having  been  attained  since  her  day." 

Mrs.  Jay  answered  with  a  smile,  "  Fometimes  I  do,  and 
sometunes  not." 

"  You  are  as  dark  as  an  oracle,  my  sister.  In  my  day 
we  sought  to  know  the  character  of  those  about  us  by 
the  expression  of  their  eyes,  their  manners,  and  above 
all,  their  voice  ;  but  this  reading  the  inmost  secrets  of 
the  soul  by  the  contour  of  the  skull  is  to  me  incon- 
ceivable." 

"  My  dear  Calliste,"  said  Perpetua,  "  when  you  have 
visited  our  earth  once  more,  you  will  find  this  science 
among  others  a  mere  matter  of  fiishion.  It  was  the 
rage  in  and  about  the  city  of  Boston,  m  North  America, 
some  years  since,  and  was  regarded  as  an  auxiliary  to 
the  skepticism  which  obtams  in  the  fashionable  and  liter- 
ary circles  ol  that  vicinity.  It  has  had  its  day,  and,  as 
Mrs.  Jay  says,  has  afibrded  a  convenient  nomenclature 
when  speaking  of  the  outside  of  the  head  ;  in  which  she 
has  shown  some  sldll  in  discoursing  of  the  modern  head- 
gear." 

"  Such  a  science,  whether  true  or  false,  must  have 
given  great  significance  to  the  form  of  the  head.  Do 
lovers  sigh  and  sing  sonnets  in  praise  of  dark  eyes  and 
loAV  brows,  as  they  did  from  the  days  of  Homer  down 
to  those  of  Nero  ?"  asked  Calliste. 

"  Dark  eyes  are  always  in  good  repute,  if  they  be  full 


160  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

and  lustrous,"  said  Mrs.  Jay ;  "  but  blue  eyes  are  now 
preferred,  as  light  hair  is  regarded  more  beautiful  than 
black  hair ;  but  when  low  brows  are  bestowed  upon  a 
:^iir  girl,  she  regards  it  a  calamity  thus  to  have  her  intel- 
lectual organs  hid  from  sight ;  and  some  extirpate  these 
gifts  of  nature,  once  so  much  admired,  in  order  to  show 
their  grand  intellectual  developments." 

"  And  do  they  look  any  the  wiser  for  so  doing  ?  I 
should  thmk  such  folly  would  be  obvious  to  the  eye  as 
their  eyebrows.  And  now  to  proceed,  let  me  ask, 
what  is  the  form  and  texture  of  ladies'  robes  in  these 
days  ?" 

"They  change  with  every  season,  and  are  made  of 
every  variety  of  material.  There  is  a  dress  for  the 
morning,  a  dress  for  dinner,  a  dress  for  walking  out,  and 
a  dress  for  the  evening.  The  fashion  of  all  these  change 
with  the  season.  There  is  a  new  style  for  spring,  for 
summer,  for  autumn,  and  for  winter.  These  are  got  up 
by  a  class  of  men  in  the  pay  of  great  manufacturers  of 
France  and  England,  usually  residing  in  Paris,  whose 
aim  is  to  bring  out  those  fashions  most  favorable  to  the 
interests  of  the  men  who  i>aj  them  best.  These  cos- 
tumers  seek  to  get  as  much  material  mto  a  dress  as  may 
be  possible.  The  latest  invention  of  theirs  has  been  to 
revive  the  wcarmg  of  hoops,  under  the  new  name  of 
crinoline — thus  enabling  a  lady  to  consume  some  sLx- 
teen  to  twenty  yards  of  silk  m  a  smgle  dress." 

"  How  strangely  they  must   look !     In  our  day  the 


SCENES   IN    ANOTHEE   WORLD.  161 

great  art  in  making  our  toilette  was  to  dress  our 
hair  and  paint  our  faces.     Do  modern  ladies  paint  ?" 

"  No,  or  very  rarely :  a  fair  skin  is  regarded  as  the 
greatest  beauty  attainable.  "White  paint  and  small 
spots  of  black,  called  beauty-spots,  m£\de  of  court- 
plaster,  was  the  style  with  our  great-grandmothers, 
a  century  since,  but  now  a  Uttle  rouge  is  allowable." 

"  Jewels  are  doubtless  worn  now  as  in  my  day  ?"  said 
Calliste. 

"  They  are  worn  by  the  few  who  possess  them ;  but 
in  my  country  wealth  is  not  absorbed  by  the  few  at  the 
cost  of  the  many ;  and  gold  ornaments  have  to  supply 
the  place  of  diamonds  and  pearls,  except  in  our  cities, 
where  they  manufacture  money  out  of  paper,  and  in 
such  quantities  and  with  such  success,  that  the  wives  and 
daughters  of  bank  directors  are  illuminated  on  gala 
nights  with  pure  diamonds." 

"Let  me  ask,  Mrs,  Jay,  before  you  go  further,  if 
there  are  in  these  latter  days,  magicians  who  make 
money  out  of  paper  ?  I  mean  such  money  as  will  buy 
diamonds  and  pearls.  I  have  no  capacity  to  under- 
stand what  you  can  mean — making  gold  out  of  paper ! 
How  wonderful !"  said  CalUste,  turaing  to  St.  Perpetua, 
who  was  sitting  quietly  by,  greatly  amused  with  Mrs. 
Jay's  mystification  of  her  friend. 

"  It  is  indeed,  wonderful,"  said  Mrs.  Jay  with  empha- 
sis. "  This  grand  discovery  was  made  centuries  since, 
by  Jews  of  Lombardy ;  but  they  required,  as  much  gold 


162  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

to  be  paid  into  their  hands  as  they  made  into  paper- 
money,  and  so  the  art  and  mystery  continued  for  cen- 
turies; but  the  great  convenience  of  carrying  paper- 
money  from  place  to  place  made  it  so  necessary,  that 
after  a  while,  the  common  peoj^le  came  to  regard  a  paper 
bill  as  an  equivalent  to  gold.  In  the  United  States  of 
America,  where  everything  goes  with  railroad  speed, 
certain  bankers  and  rich  men  combined  to  create  a 
multitude  of  shoj)s  for  the  manufacture  of  paper-money, 
by  which  the  labor  of  the  poor  and  the  industry  of  the 
farmer  has  been  uj)set.  All  this  while  these  honest,  hard- 
working men  are  made  to  believe  themselves  the  richer 
for  this  paper-money,  until  a  great  crisis  comes,  which 
overwhelms  the  country  in  ruin.  Only  those  bankers 
and  bank-directors,  and  bank-stockholders,  retain  unin- 
jured their  real  estate,  purchased  out  of  the  dividends 
paid  on  their  bank  stocks ;  and  their  wives  continue  to 
wear  diamonds.  The  working  men,  who  are  made  to 
pay  the  piper,  are  led  to  believe  that  the  cause  of  the 
last  convulsion  is  all  owing  to  something  else  than  pajDcr- 
money.  Just  before  I  left  the  world,  one  of  these  great 
earthquakes  commenced  in  my  own  native  city ;  and  like 
a  wave,  has  circled  round  the  globe ;  and  now  can  you 
guess  to  what  cause  paper-money  making  men  have  attri- 
buted all  these  monetary  disasters  ?  I  know  you  never 
could  guess,  and  so  I  will  tell  you ;  it  is  all  owuig  to  wives 
and  daughters  wearing  what  is  now  called  '  CrinoHne.' "  * 

*  Appendix  B. 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WOKLD.  163 

Calliste  cauglit  the  frolicsome  mood  of  Mrs.  Jay, 
and  entered  into  the  mirthfuluess  of  such  a  description 
of  a  great  revolution  in  the  commercial  world.  In  this, 
Perpetua  joined  with  the  greatest  zest  and  heartiness. 

"  Now  I  have  told  you  of  modern  fashions,  Calliste, 
will  you  not  tell  me  of  the  fashionable  manners  of  your 
day  ?  I  have  read  Juvenal,  and  he  certainly  does  not 
flatter  the  ladies  of  Nero's  court." 

"  He  does  not,  Mrs.  Jay ;  but  satirists  are  never  safe 
guides.  Human  society  could  not  have  been  held  to- 
gether, had  such  vices  as  he  has  portrayed,  pervaded  all 
circles  of  Roman  life.    What  do  you  say,  Perpetua?" 

" Perpetua  replied  :  "I  cannot  say  what  would  have 
been  the  condition  of  Pome,  if  Christ  had  not  come 
down  from  heaven  to  save  the  world.  Certain  it  is,  my 
adopted  city  of  Carthage  presented  ua  strongest  contrast 
the  power  of  faith  to  overcome  the  world,  and  the  power 
of  fashion  to  enslave  it." 

"Dear  Perpetua,  will  you  not  give  us  some  illustra- 
tions of  this  remark  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  Before  Perpetua  complies  with  your  request,  Mrs. 
Jay,  will  you  not  tell  me  what  you  meant  when  you 
spoke  just  now  of  'railroad  speed?'  In  my  day  we 
likened  speed  to  the  flight  of  eagles  and  of  falling  stars ; 
but  what  is  now  the  superlative  of  speed  ?" 

"  Sure  enough,  Calliste,  this  is  all  new  to  you.  Well 
then,  the  speed  I  spoke  of  is  not  quite  '  up  to  time,' 
when  compared  with  falling  stars,  or  even  the  eagle's 


164  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

flight.  It  is  a  very  simple  matter,  as  you  will  see. 
Instead  of  your  old  Roman  roads,  which  have  been 
revived  in  our  great  cities  and  are  called  'Russ  pave- 
ments,' railroads  are  made  by  levelling  the  surface  of  the 
land,  and  then  iron  rails  are  laid  upon  wooden  logs. 
Upon  these  rails  long  trains  of  cars  are  placed ;  and  at 
the  head  of  each  train,  instead  of  horses,  we  have  now  a 
single  iron-horse,  propelled  by  water  heated  into  steam. 
This  iron-horse  drags  hundreds  of  travellers  and  tons  of 
baggage,  at  the  rate  of  thirty  miles  an  hour,  for  days 
and  weeks  together,  stopping  only  for  a  drink  of  cold 
water,  once  in  a  whUe." 

"  Iron  horses  and  paper  money !  O  Perpetua,  how 
can  you  sit  by  and  smile  at  my  increduUty.  What 
next  ?" 

"  What  next  ?  why  this  ;  the  genius  of  Franklin  and 
Morse,  countr}Tnen  of  mine,  born  within  strikmg  dis- 
tance of  each  other,  has  brought  down  the  Hghtning 
from  the  clouds ;  and  what  was  once  the  symbol  of  the 
power  of  Jove,  now  runs  with  messages  of  all  sorts,  from 
one  end  of  the  continent  to  the  other,  and  at  the  bidding 
of  everybody." 

"  Is  it  possible  !  what  mysteries,  hid  from  the  creation 
of  the  woi'ld,  has  the  genius  of  men  eliminated  !  After 
all  you  have  told  me,  Mrs.  Jay,  there  is  nothmg  quite  so 
wonderful  to  me,  as  that  men  can  make  money  out  of 
paper :  money,  which  laj)idaries  and  jewellers  will  receive, 
as  of  equivalent  value,  for  pearls  and  diamonds." 


SCENES   LN   ANOTHEK   WOKLD.  165 

"  That  is,  Oalliste,  par  excellence^  the  mvention  of  the 
present  age ;  suggested  by  Lombard  Jews,  and  improved 
upon  by  the  Bank  of  Amsterdam,  and  subsequently 
by  the  Bank  of  England ;  but  brought  to  its  perfection 
in  my  oy^n.  day,  by  the  clever  men  of  North  America. 
Those  old  banking  institutions  of  Euroi^e  required  nearly 
as  much  gold  to  be  paid  to  them  as  they  made  into 
paper  ;  but  the  last  j)erfection  of  American  banking  is,  to 
make  paper  money  to  any  amount  without  the  smallest 
outlay  of  gold.  You  think  that  wonderful,  Calliste ;  but 
to  my  mind  the  wonder  is,  that  men  of  labor,  those  who 
compose  the  millions  of  these  sovereign  States,  consent 
to  give  to  a  few  astute  rich  men,  by  charter,  the  right  to 
plunder  them  of  the  rewards  of  their  jDatient  industry." 

Mrs.  Jay,  now  addressing  Perpetua,  begged  her  to 
go  on. 

"  What  I  had  to  say,  my  dear  Mrs.  Jay,  was  this : 
that  at  the  very  time  when  the  disciples  of  Christ  in  the 
higher  walks  of  life  in  Carthage  were  ready  to  lay  down 
their  lives  rather  than  deny  the  faith  of  Christ,  they 
would  not  deny  themselves  the  luxuries  of  that  luxurious 
age.  And  to  show  you  the  temper  of  those  times,  when 
Scapula,  the  Roman  governor,  in  order  to  extirpate  the 
Church,  threatened  a  renewal  of  tortures  and  death, 
Tertullian  addressed  him  a  letter  in  these  words  :  '  Be- 
think thyself,  Scapula!  What  wilt  thou  do  with  so 
many  thousand  men  and  women,  of  every  age  and  dig- 
nity, as  will  freely  offer  themselves  ?     What  SAVords  wilt 


166  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

thou  stand  in  need  of?  What  is  Carthage  likely  to  suf- 
fer, if  decimated  by  thee ;  when  every  one  shall  find 
there  his  kindred  and  neighbors ;  and  if  you  shall  see 
matrons  and  men,  perhaps  of  thine  own  rank  and  order  ?' 
"What  words  are  these !  they  show  the  highest  enthu- 
siasm i^revailing  among  the  Christians  of  that  day  ;  and 
would  you  not,  as  a  consequence,  believe  these  matrons 
above  the  love  of  dress  and  ornament ;  whose  hearts 
were  so  full  of  glorious  anticipations  of  a  life  with  Christ, 
that  to  them  the  crowns  of  earth  would  have  become 
baubles  ?" 

"  Certainly  I  should,"  said  Mrs.  Jay.  "  I  have  always 
thought  that  the  great  want  of  the  present  day  was  an 
occasional  auto-da-fe^  for  the  special  benefit  of  Christ- 
ians of  all  Protestant  denominations  ;  at  which  some  of 
our  most  eminent  pietists,  clothed  in  '  the  blessed  yellow 
vest  of  penitence,'  with  a  cross  on  their  breasts  and 
backs,  painted  all  over  with  devils,  could  be  burned  uj^, 
in  proof  of  the  perpetuity  of  the  martyr  spirit  on  earth, 
and  for  the  edification  of  the  Church  universal ;  which  I 
beg  Calliste  to  understand,  is  the  antipodes  of '  the  Holy 
Catholic  Chu^rch,'  as  the  Church  of  Rome  calls  herself. 

"  If  you  want  me  to  comprehend  you,  Mrs.  Jay,"  said 
Calliste,  "  you  must  tell  me  something  by  way  of  exjDla- 
nation  of  these  axito-dar-fesP  * 

*  Auto-da-fe,  which  being  interpreted  means  an  Act  of  Faith,  was  invented  by 
the  Inquisition  at  Valladolid,  in  Spain,  and  was  first  celebrated  on  21st  of  May, 
1569,  in  the  presence  of  tfee  royal  family.     This  procedure  was  made  necessary 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  167 

"  Do  you  tell  Calliste,  St.  Perpetua ;  for  Calliste,  I  see, 
begins  to  distrust  my  entire  fidelity  in  my  replies  to  her 
inquiries." 

"  Auto-da-Fe^  my  Calliste,  is  the  name  of  the  mar- 
tyrdom of  heretics  by  the  papal  Church  of  Rome. 
Heresy  and  heretics  have  a  different  signification  now 
than  in  the  days  of  Hippolytus  and  Origen.  These 
words,  at  Rome,  now  embrace  all  Christians  out  of  the 
pale  of  the  Romish  church." 

"  And  has  the  Church  of  Rome  been  guilty  of  perse- 
cution, and  to  what  extent  ?" 

says  Llorente,  Secretary  of  the  Inquisition,  in  liis  famous  history,  In  consequence 
of  the  arrest  and  trial  of  so  great  a  number  of  Spaniards.  This  bonfire  of  the 
disciples  of  Luther,  was  made  of  eminent  men  and  women,  and  became  quite 
the  fashion  all  over  the  world.  It  was  first  introduced  on  this  continent  in 
Mexico,  in  1574.  Llorente  says,  "  this  fii-st  auto-da-fe  was  celebrated  with  so  much 
pomp  and  splendor,  that  eye-witnesses  have  declared  it  could  only  be  compared 
to  that  at  Valladolid,  in  1559,  at  which  Philip  II.  and  the  royal  family  attended." 
The  following  is  from  Washington  Irving's  "  Student  of  Salamanca,"  describing  an 
auto-da-fi,  as  given  by  Gonsalvius : 

"The  sound  of  bells  gave  notice  that  the  dismal  procession  was  advancing.  It 
passed  slowly  through  the  principal  streets  of  the  city,  bearing  in  advance  the 
awful  banner  of  the  holy  office.  The  prisoners  walked  singly,  attended  by  their 
confessors,  and  guarded  by  familiars  of  the  Inquisition.  They  were  clad  in  differ- 
ent garments,  according  to  the  nature  of  their  punishments  ;  those  who  were  to 
suffer  death,  wore  the  hideous  samarra  painted  with  flames  and  demons.  The 
procession  was  swelled  by  choirs  of  boys,  different  religious  orders,  aud  public  dig- 
nitaries, and  above  all,  by  the  Fathers  of  the  faith,  '  moving,'  says  Gonsalvius, 
'  with  a  slow  pace  and  profound  gravity,  truly  such  as  becomes  the  principal 
generals  of  that  great  victory.'  " 

Llorente  says,  "  the  number  of  those  who  perished  cannot  be  determined."  He 
makes  an  approximate  estimate,  excluding  Mexico,  Lima,  Carthagena,  Sicily,  and 
Sardinia,  and  says  the  number  of  those  burnt  and  condemned  to  severe  penances 
amounted  to  828,862  men  and  women.  * 


168  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

"  It  is  hard  to  tell,"  said  Perpetua.  "  The  lives  lost  ia 
persecutions  and  religious  wars  carried  on  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  the  papacy,  extend  through  centuries  and 
cover  the  globe.  The  number  has  been  estimated  by 
many  millions  of  men,  women  and  children." 

"  And  you,  Mrs.  Jay,  want  these  times  of  trial  re- 
stored!" 

"  Not  exactly  that ;  but  when  I  have  seen  the  little 
faith  there  was  in  the  world  about  me,  I  have  thought 
if  I  was  in  danger  of  being  burned  up  some  day,  it 
would  have  a  wonderful  effect  upon  my  character  as  a 
Christian  ;  but  here  is  Perpetua  about  to  tell  us  that  all 
my  speculations  on  this  head  are  vain." 

"  I  only  wish  to  show  you  what  I  have  before  said  is 
true ;  that  the  present  age  is  in  advance  of  all  that  has 
preceded  it,  from  the  days  of  the  apostles  down ;  and 
although  you  have  told  us  that  the  last  gi-eat  financial 
convulsion  has  had  its  origin  in  the  expensive  fashions  of 
the  women  of  the  present  age,  I  doubt  if  their  luxuiy 
begins  to  compare  in  costliness  with  the  luxuries  of  the 
second  and  third  centuries.  TertuUian,  who  has  just 
been  cited,  boasting  of  the  devotedness  of  the  saints,  re- 
proves the  excessive  love  of  finery  in  his  day.  He  tells 
us  (I  quote  his  words),  'A  great  estate  is  dra-Roi  out  of  a 
little  pocket.  It  is  nothing  to  exjjend  many  thousand 
pounds  upon  a  string  of  pearls,'  and  continuing  in  this 
strain,  with  fine  satire  he  says :  '  a  weak,  slender  neck  can 
make  a  shift  to  carry  about  whole  forests  and  lordships.* 


SCENES  nsr  ajs^otiier  world.  IGi^ 

And  then  the  way  our  lady-folks  managed  their  money 
matters,  was  very  much  after  that  of  modern  times.  He 
says,  '  Vast  sums  borrowed  of  the  banker,  and  noted  in 
his  account-book  to  be  repaid  every  month  with  interest, 
are  weighed  at  the  beam  of  a  thin  slender  ear ;'  and  with 
undiminished  keenness  of  irony,  he  continues  thus,  '  So 
great  is  the  strength  of  their  pride  and  ambition,  that 
even  the  feeble  body  of  one  woman  shall  be  able  to 
carry  the  weight  and  substance  of  so  many  pounds  taken 
up  at  usury.'  He  tells  us  of  a  single  row  of  pearls 
which  was  valued  at  upwards  of  two  hundred  talents.* 
In  his  work  'X>e  Disciplina  et  Hahitu  Virginum,^  he 
gives  us  his  views  of  abstaining  from  sumptuous  apparel 
and  vain  ornaments,  from  the  use  of  paint  and  frequent 
public  baths ;  and  moderns  may  guess  at  the  manners  of 
that  day  by  his  warnings  and  entreaties.  There  is  no 
circle  of  society  now  existing  in  England  or  the  United 
States  where  such  exhortations  as  are  here  found  Avould 
not  be  regarded  as  offensive  and  excessively  oiit  of  j^lace ; 
and,  for  a  modern  illustration  of  the  same  sort,  I  might 
add,  the  sermon  which  that  eminent  man  of  God, 
Jonathan  Edwards,  preached  at  Northampton,  in  Massa- 
chusetts, on  fast  day,  about  a  century  since." 

"  I  am  much  more  interested,  Perpetua,  in  the  flishions 
and  manners  of  the  ladies  in  the  martyr  days  of  the 
church,  than  I  am  of  those  in  the  Mildernesscs  of  New 

*  In  the  currency  of  the  present  day  this  sum  is  upwards  of  two  hundred  thou- 
sand doUars.    A  vast  sum  to  be  represented  by  a  necklace. 


170  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OK, 

England  a  hundred  years  ago ;  and  now  I  want  you  to 
tell  me  something  more  of  these  ornaments.  What  was 
then  the  style,  and  how  were  jewels  worn  ?" 

"  They  were  of  diamonds,  beryls  and  all  manner  of 
precious  stones.  These  were  made  into  bracelets  set  in 
gold ;  and  bandeaux  for  the  hair  consisting  of  gold,  and 
jewels  and  pearls ;  and  our  costly  suits  of  apparel  were 
wrought  of  golden  tissues,  embroidered  vdth  pearls." 

"  How  superb  must  a  splendid  woman  have  looked  in 
her  grand  gala  dress  1  And  then  your  drapery  all  hung 
in  graceful  folds,  and  not  as  is  the  fashion  of  the  present 
day,  when  these  are  almost  obliterated  by  crinoline  and 
flounces.  I  have  often  thought  how  odd  it  would  be  to 
have  a  statue  of  Queen  Victoria  perpetuated  in  marble 
in  the  court  dress  of  the  present  day.  There  is  one 
thins  to  be  said  in  favor  of  the  ladies  of  Rome  and 
Carthage ;  if  their  dresses  were  costly,  they  were  not, 
like  those  of  the  ladies  of  my  day,  forever  changing 
— three  dresses  a  day,  made  up  in  different  styles, 
trimmed  with  different  ribbons  and  laces ;  so  that  a  lady 
with  a  small  family  of  daughters  is  nothing  more  than  a 
family  costumer ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  wearisomeness 
of  shopping,  buying  a  ribbon  here,  a  jiair  of  gloves 
there,  and  gaiter  boots  at  another  place,  and  a  bonnet  at 
stUl  another,  in  order  to  have  all  the  colors  of  a  dress  in 
perfect  trim.  Our  costumes  cannot  be  so  splendid  as 
yours  were,  but  I  can  see  why  they  cost  nearly  as  much 
money." 


SCENES    IN   ANUTIIEK   WOKLD.  171 

*'  Your  ladies  must  be  weary  of  a  dress  before  they 
put  it  on,"  said  Calliste,  who  had  been  a  good  listener. 
"  I  think,  Perpetua,  if  I  had  made  my  dresses,  or  had 
even  the  taSk  of  selecting  them  out  of  the  variety  of 
fabi'ics  of  our  day,  I  should  have  been  content  with  few 
changes  of  raiment." 

"Was  there  not  in  those  days,  St.  Perpetua,  a  large 
number,  of  nuns,  as  they  are  called  now,  who  had  taken 
vows  renouncing  the  pomps,  pride  and  vanities  of  this 
life ;  and  were  they  like  all  the  rest  of  the  world  ?" 

St.  Perpetua  replied  rather  demurely :  "  And  let  me 
ask,  if  there  are  not  any  number  of  young  ladies  of  the 
present  day  who  take  the  same  vows ;  and  further,  if 
they  too  are  not  like  all  the  rest  of  the  world  ?" 

"You  hit  very  close,  St.  Perpetua;  but  then  the 
young  ladies  who  take  these  vows  now-a-days,  have 
husbands  to  win ;  and  I  don't  think  it  hardly  fair  for  you 
to  put  our  vestals  alongside  of  your  virgins." 

"  You  are  right,  Mrs.  Jay,"  said  Calliste.  "  Perpetua 
has  not  taken  into  account  the  vast  difference  made  by 
the  vow  of  celibacy.  Now  St.  Paul  himself,  my  Per- 
petua, in  his  first  epistle  to  Corinth,  tells  us  that  '  those 
who  are  married  care  for  the  things  of  the  world,  how 
they  may  please  their  husbands,'  as  if  it  was  their 
bounden  duty  so  to  do ;  and  if  so,  how  much  more  will 
a  young  girl  care  for  those  things,  which  are  the  means 
of  gaining  one.  Certainly  then,  Mrs.  Jay  has  good 
ground  for  her  reply.     For  what  had  those  women  of 


172  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

Rome  and  Carthage,  your  contemporaries,  who  had 
taken  the  vows  of  ceUbacy,  with  wearing  costly  ap- 
parel; whose  slippers  and  sandals  even,  as  St.  Clement 
tells  us — and  which  we,  Perpetua,  very  well  know  to  be 
true  from  our  own  observation — were  adorned  with  gold 
and  precious  stones.  And  besides,  their  chambers  were 
the  very  centres  of  luxury ;  containing  couches  with 
silver  feet,  bedsteads  inlaid  with  ivory  and  gold,  sur- 
rounded with  gold  and  purjjle  hangings;  and  indeed, 
crowded  with  rich  furniture,  and  statuettes  and  pictures 
of  immense  value ;  to  say  nothing,  Mrs.  Jay,  of  their 
love  of  pearls,  peacocks,  parrots  and  Maltese  lap-dogs ; 
and  more,  and  what  was  far  more  unchristian,  though 
not  so  regarded  in  our  day,  their  use  of  costly  perfumes, 
and  the  expenditure  of  large  sums  in  the  purchase  of 
beautiful  boys."  * 

*  This  enumeration  of  luxuries  is  found  in  tlie  EpisHes  of  Clement.  Si.  Clement 
was  very  unlike  the  fasliionable  preachers  of  our  day.  His  address  would  be  re- 
garded as  out-Spurgeon-ing  Spurgeon.  Exeter  Hall  would  refuse  to  listen  to  such 
home-thrusts  as  St.  Clement  gave  his  hearers.  Speaking  of  this  Jove  of  perfumes, 
he  says :  "  Christians  should  smell  not  of  ointments,  but  virtue.  As  dogs  trace 
wild  beasts  by  their  scent,  so  may  we  trace  the  luxurious  by  their  perfumes."  An- 
other of  these  old  ministers  of  the  fourth  century,  thus  describes  the  scene  pre- 
sented in  one  of  the  then  fashionable  churches :  "  I  went  into  one  of  the  churches 
and  I  heard  Paul  say  to  the  women,  that  they  should  '  not  adorn  themselves  with 
gold  and  pearls'  (1st  Epistle  to  Timothy,  xi.  9) ;  but  I  saw  everything  contrary  in 
their  practice.  When  one  sees  the  women  adorned  in  the  galleries  above,  and 
hears  Paul  thus  speaking  below ;  will  he  not  be  able  to  say,  our  religion  is  a  mere 
show  and  fable  ?" 


It  may  interest  some  of  my  readers  to  know  of  the  modes  then  practised  by 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  173 

"  I  am  surprised,"  cried  Mrs.  Jay,  "  to  be  told  your 
fine  ladies  were  so  very  like  those  of  these  latter  days. 
Lap-dogs !  why,  these  are  now  regarded  as  '  the  super- 
fluity of  naughtiness,'  and  as  for  beautiful  boys,  that  is 
something  we  know  nothing  of.  My  wonder  is,  dear 
saints,  that  with  such  luxury,  there  could  have  existed 
the  eminent  piety  which  supplied  martyrs  for  the  ten 
persecutions  of  the  Caisars." 

Perpetua  replied,  "  This  corrupt  condition  of  social 
life  gave  rise  to  a  sentiment  of  utter  despair  of  meeting 
the  demands  of  a  hfe  of  holiness,  and  made  Christians 
anxious  for  the  martyr's  crown.  It  led,  also,  to  the 
rapid  development  of  asceticism  in  the  church.  The 
first  of  Christian  hermits  was  Anthony,  the  Egyptian, 
born  251.  His  example  was  made  famous  by  Athana- 
sius,  and  followed  by  multitudes.     It  spread  like  wild- 

ladies  to  heighten  their  beauty.  St.  Cyprian  tells  us  that  the  fallen  angels  taught 
women  to  paint  their  cheeks,  and  draw  circles  of  red  round  their  eyes.  His  lan- 
guage is  very  earnest.  He  says  to  the  fine  ladies  of  his  church:  "Are  you  not 
afraid  that  when  you  rise  from  the  dead  your  Maker  will  not  know  you ;  and  that 
he  will  shut  you  out  of  heaven  with  this  strong  rebuke :  '  You  are  none  of  my 
work ;  you  have  not  my  image ;  you  have  stained  your  skin  with  drugs  ;  your 
ha/ir  is  adulterated  with  dye;  your  face  is  disguised  with  falsehood ;  your  figure 
is  transformed  ;  your  look  is  strange  ;'  you  cannot  see  God,  when  your  eyes  are 
not  such  as  God  made  them,  but  are  infected  by  the  devil.  You  have  followed 
him  ;  you  have  imitated  the  red-colored  eyes  of  the  old  serpent ;  and  having  been 
decked  out  by  your  enemy,  you  shall  burn  with  him.'  " 

There  is  some  pertinency  in  the  reproduction  of  this  testimony  of  so  eminent  a 
saint,  which  certainly  has  some  points  of  resemblance  to  our  present  fashions ; 
and  inasmuch  as  the  mode  of  coloring  the  eyes,  so  severely  stigmatized  by  this 
venerable  sain^,  is  said  to  be  coming  into  vogue. 


174  THE  GATES  WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 

fire  from  Egypt  to  Palestine  and  Syria,  and  before  the 
close  of  the  fourth  century,  there  was  scarcely  a  moun- 
tain in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Roman  empire  between 
Armenia  and  Arabia  without  its  Laura,  or  colony  of 
monks."  * 

"  When  Faustiuus  and  I  last  visited  Carthage,  it  was 
near  the  close  of  the  fourth  century.  "We  were  horrified 
by  the  condition  of  morals  consequent  on  making  celibacy 
and  not  Christ  the  way  to  heaven ;  and  were  disgusted 
with  the  disgracefid  methods  by  which  questions  of 
extreme  delicacy  were  concluded ;  and  now,  then,  what 
has  followed  since  our  day  ?" 

Perpetua  replied :  "  Separate  communities  of  monks 
and  nuns  became  a  necessity.  The  dogma  of  celibacy 
once  enunciated  must  be  maintained.  Men  give  up 
everything  sooner  than  their  idols.  The  cry  now  is,  as 
when  Micah  followed  in  pursuit  of  the  children  of  Dan, 
'  Ye  have  taken  away  the  gods  which  I  have  made,  and 
what  have  I  more  ?'  The  history  of  Monachism,  which 
you  ask  me  to  relate,  would  be  painful  even  here  ;"  and 
pausing  a  moment,  Perpetua  continued :  "  Woman  has 
ever  been  the  victim  of  cruelty  and  crime.     Girls  of  the 

*  The  Fathers  of  the  latter  half  of  the  fourth  century,  considered  these  arid 
deserts  as  a  heaven  upon  earth.  "  Go,  now,"  says  Chrysostom,  "  to  the  desert  of 
Egypt,  and  you  will  find  it  more  delightful  than  paradise,  for  there  are  ten  thou- 
sand choirs  of  angels  in  human  form."  Epiphanius  said  of  them :  "  The  monasteries 
are  like  tabernacles,  full  of  heavenly  choirs,  singing  psalms,  reading  and  praying. S 
'Fathers  of  the  Desert,'  vol.  ii.  p.  128.  St.  Augustine  describes  some  of  the  monks 
of  the  desert  as  hideous  for  their  ugliness  and  nastiness.  Saints  in  that  age,  even, 
saw  the  bame  things  in  very  different  lights. 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WOKLD.  176 

present  day,  who  liave  the  misfortune  to  be  educated  by 
nuns,  are  taught  to  look  upon  married  life  as  degrading; 
and  certain  it  is,  that  such  girls,  educated  in  convents, 
are  utterly  woilhless  as  wives  and  mothers.  Indeed,  so 
deeply  has  this  truth  been  burnt  into  the  souls  of  men 
in  Catholic  countries,  that  it  is  a  Roman  proverb — '  Do 
you  want  a  faithless  wife  ?  Marry  a  girl  brought  up  at  a 
nunnery.'  "  * 

"  Alas !  to  what  a  wretched  condition  has  the  world 
come  !  Kome,  no  more  the  mistress  of  the  world,  and 
the  Church  of  Christ  a  prey  to  wolves  in  sheep's  cloth- 
ing !  What  a  contrast  to  our  hopes  fourteen  centuries 
since,  Perpetua !" 

"  Do  not  despair  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  my  Calliste," 
said  Perpetua.  "  That  lives,  and  will  Hve,  while  thrones 
and  empires  are  passmg  away." 

"What  a  worthless  sacrifice  of  human  happiness,"  said 
Mrs.  Jay,  "  have  these  great  fathers  of  the  chnrch 
inflicted  upon  the  world,  and  what  untold  and  unappre- 
ciable  misery  Save  they  inflicted  upon  our  sex,  by  the 
institution  of  these  convents.  But  what  astonishes  me 
most  of  all  is,  that  in  the  United  States  of  North 
America,  a  land  peopled  by  men  who  left  their  homes 
because  of  oppression,  and  to  secure  to  their  children 
freedom  of  conscience,  that  Romish  convents  are  built 

*  See  a  work  entitled,  "  Nuns  and  Nunneries :  Slcetches  compiled  entirely  from 
Komish  authorities,  pp.  2-12-273.  London,  1S52."  Will  no  American  publisher 
bring  out  this  hook  ? 


176  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

in  every  State,  and  schools  maintained  in  them  for  the 
education  of  Protestant  girls,  and  are  patronized  by  men 
who  claim  to  be  Protestants.  Such  is  the  enmity  of  the 
hearts  of  these  fathers  and  mothers  to  the  reUgion  of 
Christ,  that  they  hazard  the  happiness  of  their  children 
for  this  world  and  the  world  to  come,  '  to  show  their 
superiority  to  prejudices  of  education !'  The  history  of 
Europe,  and  the  condition  of  Catholic  Italy  and  Spain, 
and  of  sensual,  infidel  and  Catholic  France,  at  the 
present  day,  reads  them  no  lessons ;  nor  even  the  sad 
history  of  many  homes  of  our  own  land,  robbed  of  their 
children,  who  have  been  beguiled  to  become  nuns. 
Nothing  can  reach  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  such, 
so-called  Protestants.  The  most  astoundmg  develop- 
ments are  met  with  indifference.  And  all  the  while, 
they  are  so  jealous  of  forcible  and  illegal  confinement, 
that  lunatics  even  are  visited  in  their  asylums  once  a 
year  by  the  governors  of  States  and  the  councU  of  state, 
to  see  if  any  one  sane  person  is  unjustly  deprived  of 
liberty.  And  yet  convents  are  allowec?  to  exist,  and 
no  one  doubts  that  great  cruelty  is  exercised  to  poor 
nims,  heavy  chastisements  inflicted,  and  death  itself;  but 
these  poor,  weak,  pious  women,  who  have  been  lured 
into  these  Bastiles  of  religious  despotism,  hoping  to 
escape  from  cruel  parents,  or  the  misery  of  u^nrequited 
love,  are  left  without  the  faintest  hope  of  escape, 
to  die  of  their  unspoken  sorrows  and  unredressed 
wrongs." 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  177 

"  My  dear  lady !"  cried  Calliste,  interrupting  Mrs, 
Jay ;  "  wliy  does  not  the  Christian  church  cry  out  in  a 
voice  of  thunder  against  such  unspeakable  cruelty  ?" 

"  Cry  out,  indeed  !"  replied  Mrs.  Jay.  "  Why  one  half 
of  the  Christian  church  is  democratic,  and  the  other  half 
is  republican — these  being  the  two  great  political  parties 
of  our  country.  Now  all  the  Romanists  side  Avith  the 
democracy,  and  if  a  case  occurs  of  a  nun  who  has 
escaped  from  her  prison-house,  and  she  dares  to  tell  the 
story  of  her  wrongs  and  wretchedness,  she  is  defamed 
by  half  the  presses  m  the  country,  and  the  other  half  so 
feebly  defend  her,  that  she  is  treated  as  a  castaway,  and 
her  last  state  is  often  worse  than  her  first.  The  priests 
are  powerful ;  they  have  money,  and  they  use  it  on  all 
such  occasions,  with  great  sagacity  and  success.  This 
treatment  of  nuns  who  have  escaped  from  their  convents 
and  sought  to  return  to  society,  and  who  have  been 
hunted  doMTi  by  calumny,  and  thus  left  without  sympa- 
thy and  countenance  of  those  who  call  themselves  pro- 
tcstants,  has  silenced  others,  who  in  a  happy  hoitr  have 
achieved  their  liberty.  These  escaped  mms  have  won 
an  immunity  from  persecution,  by  the  most  entire  silence 
of  the  secrets  of  their  convents." 

"  And  your  coimtry  is  a  free  republic  !"  said  Calliste. 
"  What  strange  contrasts  and  contradictions  continue  to 
exist,  my  Perpetua !  Here  is  a  land  of  freedom,  where 
the  greatest  jealousy  exists  as  to  personal  liberty,  as  is 
shown  in  the  treatment  of  the  insane,  and  yet  convents 

p* 


178  TUE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

exist  which  no  magistrate  can  entei* !  I  am  greatly 
mystified  by  such  contradictions." 

"  It  is  in  all  respects  as  Mrs.  Jay  has  told  us,"  replied 
Perpetua.  "  The  strangest  anomalies  exist  in  that  coun- 
try on  this  subject.  The  fashionable  mothers,  those 
especially  whose  fortunes  have  been  speedily  created, 
are  greatly  taken  by  such  romantic  names  as  the  Roman- 
ists adopt  for  their  semmaries.  The  building  is  of  wood, 
or  brick,  or  stone,  and  like  all  academies,  but  then  it  is 
styled — '•Ladies  of  the  Sacred  Hearty''  '■The  Academy 
of  the  Visitation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.,''  '  Carmelite 
Sisters''  Academy.,  '  Soeurs  Notre  Dame,''  and  the  like. 
These  mothers,  who  are  conscious  of  their  incompetency 
for  training  their  children  for  the  fashionable  cLrcles  to 
which  they  themselves  aspire,  and  which  they  hope  to 
reach  on  bringing  out  their  lovely  daughters,  send  these 
dear  ones  to  have  their  manners  formed  by  nuns  who 
have  no  knowledge  of  either  life  or  manners.  It  is  very 
odd,  but  so  it  is." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  Perpetua,"  said  Mrs.  Jay.  "  How  is  it 
you  are  so  well-informed,  Perpetua?  Have  you  been 
recently  in  the  United  States  ?" 

"  No,  I  have  not ;  but  one  of  my  descendants,  who 
was  with  me  some  years  since,  was  educated  at  Era- 
mittsburg,  a,nd  from  her  I  derived  a  full  account  of 
w.  at  is  passing  in  American  convents  and  in  American 
8  ciety." 

"  What  can  be  done,  Perpetua,  and  who  is  to  do  it  ? 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  179 

I  mean  to  ask,  How  sliall  the  mind  of  my  countrymen  be 
reached  to  induce  them  by  law  to  open  these  dark  habi- 
tations of  cruelty  ?" 

"  It  is  a  question  of  vast  interest,  and  one  upon  which 
I  have  speculated  with  the  deepest  anxiety.  I  had 
hopes  that  a  wise,  cautious  and  courteous  movement  was 
about  to  be  made  in  the  Legislature  of  ]\fassachusett8 
some  little  while  since  ;  but  how  happened  it  ?  A  com- 
mittee of  vulgar,  sensual  and  corrupt  men  was  appointed 
to  make  an  examination  of  certain  Romanist  seminaries, 
and  they  disgraced  themselves  and  the  State,  and  post- 
poned the  action  of  the  public  mind  in  this  matter  for  a 
century  perhaps." 

"  Oh,  it  was  horribly  disgraceful !"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Jay,  "  and  it  was  a  great  triumph  for  the  Roman  party. 
Politics  pollute  everything  in  our  country,  and  it  is  this 
that  makes  the  difficulty,  Massachusetts  owes  it  to  the 
world  to  recommence  the  effort,  and  if  there  are  any  men 
of  high  moral  standing  in  the  legislature,  to  place  them 
in  the  position  to  act." 

Perpetua  shook  her  head.  "  Such  men  are  rare  every- 
where; and  men  of  high  moral  courage,  willing  to 
become  martyrs  for  the  cause  of  humanity,  are  not  likely 
to  be  found  in  the  halls  of  modern  legislatures.  The 
cause  of  woman  must  be  advocated  by  Christian  women. 
They  must  petition  the  legislatures  of  the  several  States, 
with  a  paper  carefully  prepared,  and  which  shall  pre- 
scribe all  the  steps  to  be  taken,  and  alj  the  course  to  be 


180  THE  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

pursued ;  not  leaving  a  single  point  to  be  decided  by 
political  hucksters,  who  will  not  fail  to  mar  by  their 
amendments  the  work  to  be  done,  and  so  defeat  the 
movement." 

"  And,  Perpetua,  what  ought  women  to  do  ?  pray,  be 
more  specific,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  With  pleasure.  I  would  have  a  bill  carefully  di-awn 
in  the  form  of  a  jDctition,  praying  that  the  governor  and 
his  council  shall,  once  a  year,  or  oftener  at  his  option, 
and  without  previous  notice,  visit  every  convent  and 
monastery  in  the  State.  Their  position  would  insure 
society  that  such  investigations  Avould  be  made  Avith  all 
refinement  compatible  wdth  the  end  to  be  attained. 
Each  recluse,  male  and  female,  should  be  had  alone 
before  the  governor  and  council,  in  a  room  where  they 
should  be  exammed  without  any  possibility  of  being 
overheard,  and  the  replies  should  be  made  in  writing. 
These  nuns  and  monks  should  be  assured  of  protection 
from  all  harm.  It  should  be  a  provision  of  law  that  a 
register  of  the  inmates  should  be  kept.  All  penances 
inflicted  and  the  oifences  thus  punished  should  be  regis- 
tered ;  and  this  record  should  be  placed  before  the 
governor  and  his  council,  to  aid  them  in  their  scrutiny. 
In  case  of  the  death  of  a  recluse,  an  inquest  should  be 
held  by  the  coroner,  aided  by  one  or  more  of  the  lead- 
ing medical  faculty  as  jurymen,  whose  report  should  be 
registered  in  the  convent  and  then  sent  to  the  governor. 
In  case  of  cruelty  or  unjust  imprisonment,  the  Superior 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER    WORLD.  181 

and  all  of  her  accessories,  should  be  punishable  as  other 
criminals,  by  due  process  of  law.  Now,  my  dear  Mrs. 
Jay,  who  can  doubt,  if  this  shield  of  pi'otection  were 
thrown  over  women  in  convents,  much  misery  would  be 
prevented.  And  why  is  not  this  sliield  interposed  ?  only 
because  the  hearts  of  American  women  have  not  been 
roused  to  the  condition  of  theii*  suffering  sisters  in  bon- 
dage." 

"  You  sjieak,  Perpetua,  with  a  tone  of  rebuke,  as  if 
this  was  a  triumph  that  could  be  achieved  by  a  single 
impulse  of  the  womanhood  of  my  country.  Who  is  to 
give  the  impulse  ?" 

"  God  knows  !  I  cannot  tell.  It  may  commence  with 
any  one  woman  competent  to  place  this  matter  in  proper 
form.  That  is  the  great  matter.  This  done,  then  let 
all  the  women  agitate.  Let  every  church  send  its  j^eti- 
tion.  Let  every  circle  of  friends  send  a  petition,  and 
every  neighborhood — not  once,  but  for  a  series  of 
sessions  of  their  several  State  legislatures — and  let  such 
an  act  be  passed,  and  one  of  the  results  will  be  the  sud- 
den removal  of  these  convents  from  State  to  State,  and 
when  such  laws  are  created  and  enforced  in  every 
State,  finally  they  avUI  remove  across  the  Canada  line  on 
the  north,  and  that  of  Mexico  on  the  south." 

"  '  That  is  a  consummation  devoutly  to  be  Avished,'  and 
I  think  if  those  who  have  so  much  to  say  about  the  dan- 
gers of  the  Roman  priesthood  in  controlling  the  elections 
of  our  country  Avould  take  this  view  of  this  question,  it 


182  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

Blight  at  once  enlist  the  attention  of  the  presses  of  "  The 
American  Party,'  so-called." 

"  I  hope  it  never  may,  then,"  said  Perpetua,  "  for  if 
ever  this  movement  can  be  successful,  it  must  come  from, 
the  pure  well  of  woman's  sympathy  for  woman,  and  not 
out  of  the  miserable  motives  which  defile  American 
statesmanship  of  the  present  day." 


Calliste  rose  and  exclaimed,  "  What  dismal  topics  we 
have  had  for  our  first  call  upon  Mrs.  Jay !  Come,  now, 
suppose  we  ascend  mto  the  clouds  and  take  a  survey  of 
the  world  below  us  ?" 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WOELD.  183 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Bt.  Perpetua,  Calliste  and  Mrs.  Jay  rise  into  the  Air  and  sweep  over  the  Country, 
alighting  to  visit  attractive  Pleasure  Grounds — Perpetua's  Remarks  on  English 
Manners— The  Villa  of  Anastasius — Frankie  Guilford  and  her  Music  Lesson — 
Her  Account  of  Herself  and  Studies — Emerentia  welcomes  our  Party  to  her 
Villa — The  Music  Hall— New  Music  by  Beethoven— Mrs.  Jay  sings  some  Airs, 
"Native"  to  good  Society  in  New  York — Their  Visit  to  the  Studio — Perpetua  and 
her  Party  remain  to  Supper — Conversation  at  the  Table— They  take  Leave  of 
the  Family  of  Anastasius — Evening  Scenes  at  the  Palace— Mrs.  Jay  contrasts  the 
Appearance  of  the  Saloons  with  a  Grand  Party  of  her  own — Mrs.  Jay's  Difference 
between  Ancient  and  Modern  Martyrdom —They  join  Sulpicius  Severus  and 
St.  Hedwiges— St.  Chrysostom's  Opinion  of  Modern  Monkery— Of  the  Origin  of 
Asceticism. 

With  the  graceful  movement  of  angels  on  the  wing, 
Perpetua,  Calliste  and  Mrs.  Jay  rose  into  the  air  from 
off  the  balcony  of  the  palace,  and  sweeping  over  the 
surface  of  the  country,  engaged  in  happy  converse,  they 
enjoyed  the  ever-varpng  landscape.  Sometimes  they 
alighted  to  admire  a  classic  miniature  Temple  of  the 
Winds  which  adorned  an  extensive  lawn,  or  to  examine  a 
nicely-trimmed  and  well-kept  garden,  ornamented  with 
gruups  of  statuary.  Wherever  they  alighted  they  wore 
welcomed  with  smiles  of  courtesy.     There  were  no  dis- 


184  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

mal  signs  of  civilization — "  Man-traps  set  here,"  warning 
them  to  keep  out  of  harm's  wayf  No  fierce  bull-dogs 
with  their  hideous  faces  and  crooked  legs,  chained  at 
the  gates  of  entrance  into  parks  and  pleasure-grounds, 
a  terror  to  all  visitors,  and  a  warning  to  all  vagrants. 
No  formal  landholder,  with  his  proud  lady  and  her  pert 
daughters  to  stand  aside  when  strangers  drew  near,  ^dth 
a  look  of  inquiry,  as  if  to  say,  "  What  impertinence  is 
this  that  hrmgs  you  here  ?"  or,  when  this  was  not  the 
feeling  expressed,  then  the  dubious  stare,  whether  to 
cringe  in  base  servility,  or  to  wear  a  frowning  hauteur. 

A  manor-house,  as  it  would  be  called  in  England,  hid 
amid  a  grove  of  splendid  shade-trees,  lay  beneath  them. 
It  wore  such  an  air  of  elegance  and  comfort,  as  well  as 
of  opvilence,  that  Perpetua  proposed  they  should  de- 
scend and  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  family.  To 
this,  Calliste  and  Mrs.  Jay  gladly  assented.  As  they 
entered  within  the  open  gates,  Perpetua,  with  a  smile, 
said  to  Mrs.  Jay :  "  How  happy  it  is  for  us  that  we  are 
not  thiis  straying  into  the  park  of  some  proud  English 
gentleman.  I  have  known  a  well-dressed  party  to  be 
warned  to  quit  premises  of  this  sort,  with  as  httle 
courtesy  as  if  they  had  been  gipsies." 

As  they  drew  near  the  house,  they  discovered  a  group 
of  lovely  girls  sitting  on  couches  beneath  the  pillared 
portico,  with  music-books  in  their  hands,  in  the  height 
of  merriment.  The  party  consisted  of  three  girls,  of 
about  twelve,  fifteen  and  sixteen  years,  dressed  Avith  the 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WOELD.  185 

grace  and  teauty  Avhicli  characterizes  the  higher  walks 
of  social  life  upon  this  globe ;  and  a  young  lady  of 
twenty,  wearing  the  robes  and  halo  of  humortality, 
whose  lovely  face  and  bright  eyes  beamed  with  glad- 
ness. The  children  were  clustered  around  this  young 
lady,  and  their  mei'ry  laugh  made  the  sweetest  miisic. 
So  soon  as  our  party  were  discovered  coming  up  the 
shaded  walk  leading  to  the  main  entrance,  they  all  rose ; 
and  advancing  with  a  grace  and  buoyancy  of  manner, 
which  in  itself  created  in  the  mind  of  Mrs.  Jay  a  sense 
of  exquisite  pleasure,  they  hastened  to  welcome  their 
approach. 

The  young  lady  first  presented  herself  to  Perpetua,  as 
one  who  had  been  known  on  earth  as  Miss  Frankie  Guil- 
ford ;  and  then  Perpetua,  having  introduced  Calljste  and 
Mrs.  Jay,  was  herself  presented  by  Calliste.  This  done, 
the  young  girls  were  in  like  manner  introduced. 

After  they  had  entered  the  grand  saloon  and  were 
seated,  the  young  ladies  nestled  aroimd  tlie  shining  one 
with  the  sweet  solicitude  of  those  whose  love  made 
nearness  essential  to  hapjDiness.  Perpetua  began  the 
conversation  by  apologizing  for  interrupting  their  mirth. 
Frankie,  with  her  bright  laughing  eyes,  replied,  "  I  must 
explain  to  you  the  cause  for  such  an  explosive  laugh  as 
we  were  all  enjoying  at  the  moment.  I  am  one  of  the 
few  of  earth  who  are  born  without  a  love  for  melody. 
I  might  have  had  the  germ  of  music  developed  in  me, 
but  my  attempts  to  sing  were  so  odd  as  to  provoke  tlio 


186  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

laughter  of  those  about  me,  until  I  ceased  to  make  the 
effort,  and  grew  up  into  the  belief  that  because  'I  had 
no  ear  for  music,'  I  had  no  soul  for  music,  and  thus  I 
lived  on  till  my  short  life  ended. 

"  On  reaching  the  celestial  city,  I  soon  discovered  my 
great  want  of  aU  knowledge  of  the  science  of  music ; 
for  though  my  soul  was  on  fire  while  the  songs  of  the 
Redeemed  arose  in  the  vast  congregation,  yet  I  could 
not  sing.  It  was  my  happiness  to  be  sent  here  under 
conduct  of  my  angel,  who  placed  me  in  this  beloved 
family  to  be  instructed  by  these  dear  children,  and  so  be 
made  fit  for  the  circles  of  the  Redeemed.  Now  I  can 
read  the  notes  with  the  facility  of  printed  letters,  and 
the  science  of  music  is  rapidly  opening  itself  to  me,  so 
that  I  am  becoming  quite  at  home  in  the  exercises  of  the 
grammar  of  music,  but  this  matter  of  singing  is  not  so 
easily  attained.  And  my  singing-lessons  are  an  unfail- 
ing source  of  mirthfulness.  I  practice  the  scales,  and 
when  I  make  a  slide  they  slide  into  smiles,  and  just  now 
I  had  made  my  first  burst  into  a  bravura,  whereupon 
my  teachers,  taken  all  by  surprise,  found  relief  in  inex- 
tinguishable laughter  ;  and  I  joined  in  the  laugh.  I  do 
not  get  Qn  very  rapidly,  but  I  do  not  know  how  I  could 
be  happier." 

"  Sister  Frankie  does  herself  great  injustice,"  said  the 
eldest  girl,  who  was  seated  with  her  arm  around  her 
waist.  "Her  j^rogress  in  the  science  of  music,  so  full 
as  it  is  of  occult  laws  of  sound  and  the  sublimities  of 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  187 

mathematical  science,  she  has  made  almost  at  a  hound,  so 
that  her  teacher  has  often  expressed  his  pleasure  and  sur- 
prise at  her  sldU  and  success.  It  is  only  with  regard  to 
the  discipline  of  the  voice  to  which  she  has  not  yet 
attained." 

"  I  am  sure,  Miss  Frankie,  that  you  have  made  good 
progress,"  said  Perpetua. 

"  Yes,  I  do  succeed  surprisingly  well.  This  is  my  own 
consciousness ;  and  then  my  patience  is  only  surpassed 
by  the  loving  persistency  of  these  sweet  sisters  of  mine. 
I  tell  them  that  by  and  by  I  shall  enjoy  my  new-found 
capacities  far  more  than  I  could  have  done  had  I  too 
been  born  to  the  full  appreciation  of  harmony." 

"Certainly,  Miss  Frankie,"  replied  Perpetua,  "the 
law  of  compensation  is  miiversal.  Let  me  ask,  ^are  you 
doing  nothing  more  than  studying  music  ?" 

"  Oh  yes !  I  have  various  masters  who  come  to  give 
me  lessons  in  art,  science,  literature  and  languages.  I 
have  no  idle  hours  here.  But  then  there  is  such  a  joy 
in  study  in  this  life  of  ours.  All  we  have  attained  in 
our  past  life  is  at  our  command,  and  my  past  acquire- 
ments aid  me  immensely  in  my  present  studies.  Then, 
too,  the  perfection  of  our  mental  power,  in  seizing  a 
new  idea ;  its  widest  generalizations  come  into  the  miiid 
with  such  rapidity  as  to  seem  an  intuitive  perception  of 
truth.  Then  we  have  here  such  happy  changes  of  intel- 
lectual labor.  I  go  from  mathematics  to  painting  in  the 
studio,   and  thence   to   the    garden  to   study  botany, 


188  THE  GATES   WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 

thence  to  the  gorges  and  moimtams  for  pebbles  to  aid. 
me  in  my  lessons  in  mineralogy,  and  last  of  all,  come 
my  lessons  in  singing,  when  these  dear  girls  assume  the 
very  responsible  task  of  teachers." 

"  Have  you  no  sense  of  weariness  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  Far  fi'om  it,"  replied  Frankie,  Tv^th  flashing  eyes  of 
joy ;  "  delightful  as  are  our  visions  of  the  night,  I  wake 
with  eager  delight  to  reach  some  far  distant  point  in  the 
illimitable  range  of  mathematics  which  had  just  made 
its  appearance  in  the  mind's  horizon  on  yesterday,  or  it 
may  be  of  some  other  of  the  various  branches  of  know- 
ledge which  fill  the  soul  with  ever  growing  conscious- 
ness of  the  T^dsdom  and  love  of  God — the  source  of 
all  life,  all  beauty,  and  all  wisdom ;  and  I,  saved  by  the 
death  of  Christ !"  * 

"I  congratulate  you.  Miss  Frankie,"  said  Mrs.  Jay, 
"  that  you  have  been  led  to  begin  at  the  beginning  from 
the  very  day-dawn  of  immortal  life.  But  in  my  own 
case,  I  felt  the  trammels  of  society  so  great,  that  when  I 

*  Babbage,  in  his  Ninth  Bridgewater  Treatise,  says,  "  If,  in  a  future  state,  we 
could  turn  from  the  contemplation  of  our  own  imperfections,  anfl  with  increased 
powers  apply  our  minds  to  the  discovery  of  nature's  laws,  and  to  the  invention 
of  new  methods  by  which  our  faculties  might  be  aided  in  that  research,  pleasure 
the  most  unalloyed  would  await  us  at  every  stage  of  our  progress.  Unclogged  by 
the  dull  corporeal  load  which  tyrannizes  even  over  our  most  intellectual  moments, 
and  chains  the  ardent  spirit  to  its  unkindred  clay,  we  should  advance  in  the  pur- 
suit, stimulated  instead  of  wearied  by  our  past  exertions,  and  encountering  each 
new  difficulty  in  the  inquiry,  with  the  accumulated  power  derived  from  the  experi- 
ence of  the  past,  and  with  the  irresistible  energy  resulting  from  the  confidence  of 
ultimate  success."— Chapter  xiv. 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WORLD.  189 

found  myself  free  of  earth,  I  was  possessed  of  a  wish 
to  enjoy  the  Avidest  range  of  my  new-found  liberty. 
Sweeping  from  sphere  to  sphere,  I  have  been  coasting 
along  the  shores  of  creation,  glad  to  be  alone  with  God. 
I  have  not  lost  all  my  time  in  so  doing ;  for  I  have  gained 
grand  conceptions  of  the  power  of  my  heavenly  Father, 
who  has  impressed  his  Almightiness  upon  all  his  works. 
But  I  may  have  made  a  mistake,  Miss  Frankie,  in  not 
following  your  example," 

"  I  do  not  know  whether  I  have  done  wisely  or  not," 
replied  Frankie  ;  "  but  I  have  been  perfectly  contented 
here,  and  have  not  now  a  single  wish  ungratified." 

"  Is  it  possible  that  you  have  not  been  tempted  to 
ascend  to  these  bright  spheres  above  us?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  I  have  thought,  at  times,  that  I  Avould  do  so,  but 
then  these  sweet  friends  of  mine  have  looked  sad  when 
I  have  talked  of  leaving  them ;  and  as  I  have  but  little- 
time  to  spend  with  them,  I  never  have  put  forth  the 
exercise  of  my  wiU  to  leave  this  villa  for  a  single  hour. 
Sometimes  when  we  are  walking,  and  a  flower  is  seen 
growing  at  a  height  not  approachable  on  foot,  I  rise  to 
gather  it ;  and  this  done,  I  retui*n  to  the  ground  and 
have  almost  forgotten  my  powers  of  will." 

"  From  what  part  of  the  earth  do  you  come  ?"  asked 
Mrs.  Jay. 

"  I  was  born  and  brought  up  in  the  State  of  Connecti- 
cut, within  sight  of  Long  Island  Sound,  the  lullaby  of 
whose  waves,  in  my  childhood,  sang  me  to  rest." 


190  THIi   GATES   WIDK  OPEN;   OR, 

"  You  have  a  lovely  home,"  said  Perpetua,  bowing  to 
Frankie.  "And  what  are  the  names  of  the  proprietors 
of  this  villa  and  the  parents  of  these  dear  children  ?" 

Frankie  replied,  "  They  are  known  as  Anastasins  and 
Erementia,  whose  domains  are  quite  extensive,  as  you 
may  have  seen.  Anastasius  holds  these  lands  from  his 
forefathers  through  many  centuries,  and  is  sedulous  to 
leave  them  in  a  more  perfect  state  than  when  he  received 
them.  His  only  son  is  now  with  hun  overlooking  the 
labors  of  the  peasantry,  whose  lovely  cottages,  covered 
with  climbing  flowers,  must  have  attracted  your  atten- 
tion." 

While  Frankie  was  thus  speaking,  a  lady  of  forty, 
in  the  full  maturity  of  woman's  beauty,  in  a  splendid 
toilet,  swept  into  the  room,  and  was  presented  by 
Frankie  to  her  guests.  The  amenity  of  this  lady's 
address  was  so  beautiful  as  to  arrest  and  absorb  the 
attention  of  Mrs.  Jay.  She  had  never  witnessed  any 
thing  to  compare  with  it.  Seating  herself  beside  St. 
Perpetua,  Erementia  made  her  acknowledgments  for 
the  distinguished  honor  of  her  visit,  and  continued  the 
conversation  by  asking  after  certain  eminent  persons 
resident  at  the  palace,  known  to  St.  Peri^etua.  And 
this  ended,  she  sj^oke  of  the  oration  of  St.  Chrysostom, 
which  she  had  had  the  happiness  of  hearing.  And  being 
requested  by  Perpetua,  she  gave  a  most  skillful  analysis 
of  the  argument,  repeating  with  entire  accuracy,  and 
perfect  elocution,  certain  passages  of  striking  eloquence 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WOKLD.  191 

which  had  sunk  into  her  heart,  Mrs.  Jay  all  the  while 
gazing  and  listening  as  one  charmed.  She  had  seen  the 
graceful  manners  of  the  Redeemed,  and  of  the  peoi»le  at 
the  great  oratorio,  and  of  the  servitors  of  the  palace,  but 
here  was  her  ideal  of  womanly  grace  and  intellectual 
culture.  Having  finished  her  remarks  ahout  St.  Chry- 
sostom,  Erementia  expressed  her  satisfaction  that  her 
flimily  had  been  so  highly  distinguished  as  to  be  selected 
for  the  residence  of  one  of  the  Redeemed,  and  of  the 
unceasing  interest  she  and  her  husband  and  children 
took  in  Frankie,  and  m  the  cultivation  of  her  intel- 
lect. 

"  I  have  all  reason  to  believe  it  is  so,"  said  Frankie ; 
"  and  it  is  so  strange  that  beings  so  vastly  superior  to 
me  in  all  that  I  am  now  constituted  to  love,  should  see 
in  me  anything  to  move  them  to  admiration ;  but  it  Is 
not  me  they  admire,  but  the  grace  of  God  that  has 
clothed  me  in  the  robes  of  Christ's  righteousness.  And 
this  it  is  that  makes  me  happy  to  be  so  loved  as  I  am  by 
these  gifted  friends  and  their  loved  children." 

One  of  the  girls,  standing  at  the  side  of  the  chair 
occupied  by  Frankie,  leaned  forward,  and  placing  her 
arm  round  Frankie's  neck,  kissed  her  on  the  forehead, 
and  said  in  a  low  tone,  "  Why  need  you  ask,  dearest 
Frankie,  what  prompts  us  to  love  you,  so  you  are  loved? 
We  do  not  seek  to  know  what  impels  us,  but  are  unceas- 
ingly happy  in  loving  you." 

"Yes,  Bwect  one,"  said  Frankie,  returning  her  em- 


192  THE  GATES   WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 

brace,  "but  such  thoughts  in  my  heart  increase  my 
apprehension  of  the  love  of  God  and  Christ  towards 
me,  thus  enhancing,  inexpressibly,  my  joy  in  your 
love." 

"  Oh,  then  it  shall  be  so  forever !"  cried  the  dear  girl, 
again  kissing  Frankie,  her  hand  stUl  resting  upon 
Frankie's  shoulder,  from  the  simple  love  ol  having  it 
there. 

The  father  and  his  son,  a  youth  of  twenty,  entered 
the  saloon,  and  were  welcomed  by  his  lady  wath  charm- 
ing courtesy.  She  then  presented  them  to  our  party 
with  all  her  characteristic  grace  of  manner,  to  the  admi- 
ration of  Mrs.  Jay,  who  was  busy  thinking  how  much  the 
happiness  of  life  may  be  enhanced  by  a  careftil  attention 
to  the  sweet  charities  of  courtesy  and  kindly  tones  of 
voice ;  and  of  the  negligence  of  husbands  and  wives  and 
children  to  each  other  on  earth,  and  how  much  of  heart- 
felt happiness  was  thus  lost. 

Anastasius  at  once  entered  into  easy  conversation  with 
his  guests.  His  son  seated  himself  by  Mrs.  Jay,  and 
was  soon  absorbed,  listening  to  all  she  had  to  tell  him  of 
her  impressions  of  the  world  of  art.  While  they  were 
thus  occupied,  the  circle  broke  up ;  Perpetua  and  Ere- 
mentia  going  into  a  long  gallery  of  paintings  and  statu- 
ary, and  Calliste  and  Anastasius  into  a  conservatory 
filled  with  rare  plants ;  not  only  of  this  world,  but  various 
plants  raised  from  seeds  sent  to  him  by  his  father  and 
mother  in  the  far-off  world,  where  they  now  resided,  and 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  193 

wliich  liacl  been  bronglit  Ly  angels  rcturnnig  to  this 
world.  The  girls  with  Frankie  returned  soon  to  the 
saloon,  and  gathered  around  Mrs.  Jay.  Frankie  felt  a 
great  interest  in  one  so  recently  from  her  native  land, 
and  from  a  city  so  well  known  to  her,  and  which  she  had 
often  visited.  Then,  too,  there  w^as  somethmg  attractive 
in  Mrs.  Jay  to  Frankie,  Avhich  made  all  she  said  a  source 
of  amusement  and  interest  to  herself  and  the.  children. 
Returning  with  his  lady,  Perpetua,  and  Caliste  to  the 
mansion,  Anastasius  invited  our  friends  to  go  mtli  him 
and  his  family  up  into  his  music  hall,  and  listen  to  some 
new  compositions  of  the  illustrious  Beethoven,  which 
they  had  recently  brought  home  with  them  from  the 
metropolitan  city.  This  proposal  was  gladly  assented  to 
by  Mrs.  Jay,  who  at  once  rose,  greatly  to  the  regret  of 
her  happy  auditors,  who  were  all  absorbed  by  the  tale 
she  was  teUing  of  her  early  days.  This  was  broken  off 
most  inopportunely,  but  it  could  not  be  helped.  She 
had  already  so  Avon  the  hearts  of  the  youngest  girls  that 
they  accompanied  her  up  the  grand  staircase  with  their 
hands  held  in  hers,  making  many  fond  entreaties  for  her 
to  stay  with  them  and  Frankie. 

Anastasius  called  to  his  children  to  take  their  places, 
w^hich  they  did  with  alacrity,  while  he  led  Erementia  to 
a  magnificent  harp.  The  beauty  of  the  jjerformance 
was  forgotten  in  the  exquisite  tones  of  their  united 
voices.  INIrs.  Jay  thought  she  caught  something  of 
Adelaide  in  this  composition.     It  M^as  full  of  the  genius 

9 


194  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

of  the  great  master,  and  held  our  party  absorbed  and 
delighted.  When  this  was  ended,  the  girls  and  brother 
sang  a  quartette,  Erementia  playing  for  her  children 
an  accompaniment.  Perpetua  said,  "That  must  be 
Haydn's;"  when  the  youngest  girl,  running  to  her 
mother  and  throwing  her  arms  around  her  neck,  as  she 
sat  at  the  harp,  exclaimed,  "  Oh  no !  it  is  mother's." 
Erementia  left  her  instrument,  and  begged  Perpetua  to 
sing  for  them  some  of  the  songs  of  Carthage ;  which  she 
did,  accomj)anying  herself  on  the  harp.  Calliste  was  then 
called  upon  for  a  song ;  and  without  rising  she  sang  some 
sweet  melodies  which  she  said  were  native  to  the  world 
from  whence  she  had  so  recently  returned.  Anastasius 
next  begged  Mrs.  Jay  to  sing  some  of  her  native  songs. 

"  My  native  songs  !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Jay.  "  I  came 
from  a  land  as  yet  without  music.  I  was  next  neighbor 
to  Frankie.  She  Uved  in  Connecticut,  and  I  in  New 
York.  We  import  all  our  music  from  abroad,  as  we  do 
our  silks  and  satins.  We  have  some  negro  melodies 
which  may  be  called  native  airs,  sung  by  the  slaves  of 
the  south,  in  the  corn-fields,  with  Httle  other  effect  than 
to  scare  away  the  crows.  But  that  I  may  not  seem 
imwilling  to  contribute  my  share  to  our  musical  enter- 
tainment, I  will  accompany  myself  on  the  hai*p  and  do 
my  best  to  sing  airs  native  now  to  the  circles  of  good 
society  '  up-town.'  " 

And  with  a  degree  of  skill  which  outside  the  world 
of  art  would  have  been  regarded  admirable,  Mrs.  Jay 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  195 

sang  "Ah  non  giiinge,"  from  Som?iambula,  and  "Qui  la 
voce,"  from  Furitani.  She  then  was  about  to  rise, 
when  the  young  ladies  begged  so  earnestly,  that  she 
reseated  herself,  and  sang  "  Salut  a  la  France,"  "  Quando 
il  destino,"  from  the  Child  of  the  JRegiment^  and 
"  Robert,  toi  que  j'aime,"  from  Robert  le  Diahle. 

"  These  are  some  of  the  popular  airs  from  the  operas 
of  the  day  when  I  left,"  said  Mrs.  Jay  as  she  rose  from 
the  harj"), 

Anastasius  was  very  kind  in  his  acknowledgments,  and 
Erementia  expressed  her  thanks  in  her  accustomed 
graceful  manner ;  as  for  the  young  folks,  they  were 
e^ddently  greatly  taken  with  this  lady  so  fresh  from  earth. 

Perpetua  now  proposed  that  they  should  return  to  the 
Palace,  and  invited  Frankie  to  return  with  them  for  the 
night.  "  We  have  a  reception  of  our  near  neighbors 
this  evening,  and  are  promised  visits  from  some  very 
distinguished  persons  from  the  Metropolis.  I  thmk  as 
you  have  never  been  to  this  one  of  our  '  many  mansions,' 
you  will  see  it  now  under  very  happy  auspices." 

Perpetua's  movement  was  met  by  entreaties  to  pro- 
long their  visit  so  far  as  to  share  the  family  repast. 
Now  it  is  fitting  to  say  here,  that  eating  and  drinking 
M'ith  the  Redeemed  is  no  longer  a  necessity,  but, 
as  Math  those  angels  who  dined  with  Abraham, 
it  is  optional.  And  these  repasts  are  now  a  bond  of 
union,  enlivened  by  wit  and  anecdote,  and  enriched  by 
the  various  knowledge  of  the  cii'cle. 


196  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEX;  OR, 

Frankie  united  her  earnest  entreaties,  and  it  was 
agreed  by  Perpetiia  and  her  friends  to  stay,  with  the 
understanding  that  they  should  leave  immediately  after 
the  feast  was  over.  This  done,  the  girls  took  possession 
of  Mrs.  Jay  and  Frankie,  whom  they  led  to  their  studio, 
where  it  was  their  custom  to  work  two  hours  every  day 
with  their  masters  at  their  several  studies.  One  had  a 
picture  begun,  another  was  moulding  a  flower  girl,  and 
the  eldest  had  a  statue  of  Frankie  in  marble,  blocked 
out  by  her  master,  which  she  was  now  bringing  into  its 
perfect  shape  by  her  mallet  and  chisels,  and  various  files. 
They  all  expressed  their  delight  in  their  labors,  and  hav- 
ing sho"vvTi  Mrs.  Jay  their  works,  they  drew  aside  a  cur- 
tain, very  much  against  the  will  of  Frankie,  who  sought 
.to  prevent  them,  and  there  was  revealed  Frankie's  first 
attempt  with  the  pencil.  It  would  have  been  regarded 
in  any  studio  on  earth  a  very  clever  picture ;  but  after 
the  eye  had  been  satiated  with  splendors  of  design  and 
color  in  the  gallery  of  Anastasius,  it  certainly  did  wear 
the  marks  of  the  brush  of  the  sign-post  pamter  rather 
than  the  pencil  of  an  artist.  Mrs.  Jay  honestly  ex- 
pressed her  full  faith  that  Frankie  would,  in  due  time, 
become  quite  as  eininent  an  artist  in  painting  as  in  music. 
This  doubtful  compUment  drew  forth  a  burst  of  laughter, 
in  which  Frankie  led  the  way  with  the  highest  satisfac- 
tion. 

They  were  called  by  a  servant  to  return  to  the  house, 
and  found  the  host  and  hostess  awaiting  them  with  their 


SCENES    TN    ANOTHER    WORLD.  197 

guests  to  go  to  tlie  sapper-rooni,  where  the  banquet  was 
all  prepared.  It  was  a  room  of  rare  niagnificenco,  and 
the  vases  for  fruit  and  grapes  were  of  singular  beauty, 
Ava-ought  of  gold  and  of  porcelain — a  pottery  which  would 
have  astonished  and  delighted  even  Bernard  Palissy. 
The  repast  was  purely  ante-diluvian,  aud  the  delicious 
fruit  might  well  be  called  "  angel's  food."  The  enter- 
tainment of  the  palate,  however,  was  not  comparable  to 
the  pleasures  of  their  social  converse.  Erementia  told 
some  very  pretty  talcs  of  her  birds.  This  led  Calliste  to 
tell  of  the  splendor  of  the  birds  of  her  new  Avorld,  and 
their  habits,  which  'were  full  of  Avonders.  Anastasius 
made  many  inquiries  as  to  the  electrical  changes  of 
atmosphere  in  that  globe,  but  Calliste  confessed  she  did 
not  kuoAV  the  meaning  of  the  word.  Tliis  Avas  explained, 
and  she  gave  a  description,  glowing  and  graphic,  of  the 
sun-sets,  and  the  skies  both  by  day  aud  night  in  that 
AA'orkl,  and  next,  of  the  gradual  development  of  that  ncAV 
race  of  beings  ;  and  thus  it  Avas  that  the  hours  flcAV  until 
the  stars  began  to  glitter,  Avhen  tliey  rose  from  the  table 
and  passing  through  the  hall  stepped  out  upon  the  por- 
tico. The  girls  clung  to  Frankie  as  Perpctua  rencAved 
her  invitation  for  her  to  spend  the  night  Avith  her  at  the 
palace. 

"  I  think  we  must  leave,"  said  Mrs.  Jay,  "  for  I  have 
an  intuition  that  my  friend  Peter  Schlemihl  has  re- 
turned, and  is  noAV  searching  for  me." 

"Peter   Schlcmilil!"    cried  Frankie,   breakmg   away 


198  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

from  tlie  young  ladies  and  laying  her  hand  upon  Mrs. 
Jay's  arm ;  "  which  Peter  do  you  speak  of — the  German 
Peter  Schlemihl,  or  '  Peter  Schlemihl  in  America  ?'  " 

"Peter  Schlemihl  in  America,"  replied  Mrs.  Jay. 
"  Pray,  tell  me,  do  you  know  him  ?" 

"  Know  him !  why  he  is  my  dear  friend  Peter,"  replied 
Frankie,  her  bright  eyes  beaming  with  joy. 

"  Is  it  so  ?  Now  you  will  go  home  with  us  and  meet 
him  there.  How  glad  he  will  be  to  see  you  and  receive 
your  congratulations,  that  he  who  was  shadowless,  boot- 
less and  homeless  is  now  at  home  with  every  wish  of  his 
soul  satisfied." 

Frankie  stood  in  doubt.  The  children  begged  her  to 
send  word  to  her  friend  Peter  to  come  to  see  her ;  and 
the  eldest  girl,  with  a  modest,  roguish  air,  in  a  low  tone 
of  voice,  suggested  that  it  was  not  ladyUke  for  Frankie 
to  go  in  search  of  her  gentlemen  friends.  This  pro- 
voked a  general  mirthfulness,  and  Frankie  declared  it 
was  due  to  the  gallantry  of  all  worlds  that  a  lady  should 
be  sought.  She,  however,  obtained  a  promise  from  Mrs. 
Jay,  that  she  would  certainly  bring  him  with  her  at  no 
distant  day. 

Anastasius  and  his  lady,  with  that  beautiful  air  of 
entire  sincerity  which  is  so  winning  when  it  is  felt  to 
spring  from  the  depths  of  the  soul,  begged  St.  Perpetua, 
CaUiste  and  Mrs.  Jay  to  bring  Frankie's  friend,  and  to 
confer  upon  them  the  high  gratification  of  their  society ; 
not  for  so  short  a  time  as  now,  but  for  days  and  months. 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  199 

It  Wfis  with  many  loving  courtesies  they  left,  rising  rap- 
idly into  the  upper  regions  of  the  air,  until  they  saw 
with  the  space-penetrating  glance  of  angelic  vision,  the 
distant,  illuminated  domes  of  the  palace,  for  which  they 
sped  their  way,  reaching  the  grand  entrance  as  the 
chimes  of  the  great  temple  sounded  the  hour  of  ten. 

Their  first  purpose  was  to  find  their  friends ;  Calliste 
went  in  search  of  Faustinus,  and  Perpetua  kept  Mrs. 
Jay  company  in  looking  after  Laurens  and  Schlemihl. 
In  so  doing,  they  promenaded  tlie  halls,  saloons  and 
porticos  of  the  palace,  which  were  filled  with  guests  and 
residents ;  some  walking,  others  stood  in  groups  convers- 
ing. Within  the  saloons,  were  companies  of  the  Re- 
deemed and  their  visitors,  occupied  in  various  ways.  In 
one  saloon  they  were  singing  some  glorious  quartettes. 
In  another  they  were  all  listenmg  to  an  eminent  elocu- 
tionist repeating  a  new  Epic  by  Milton,  a  poem  recently 
brought  out  by  him,  and  which  was  already  winging  its 
flight  across  the  wide  plains  of  space,  borne  by  angels 
and  the  Redeemed,  to  be  recited  by  them,  as  now,  to 
beings  fitted  to  appreciate  its  sublimity. 

They  thus  strolled  along  the  halls  and  upon  the  bal- 
conies, looking  into  the  rooms  for  their  truant  friends, 
until  they  were  satisfied  they  were  not  to  be  found. 
IMrs.  Jay  could  not  but  remark  to  Perpetua,  the  contrast 
of  which  she  was  conscious,  between  the  crowded  par- 
ties of  good  society  in  New  York  and  what  she  saAv 
before  her.     "  Hero,"  she  said,  "  all  are  alike  occupied, 


200  THE  GATES   WIDE  OTEN;   OR, 

and  with  such  earnestness,  as  if  they  were  compressing 
all  that  was  possible  into  the  passing  moment.  Look  at 
that  happy  group  !  Listen  to  the  gaiety  of  their  laugh, 
see  the  sparkling  of  eyes,  as  the  ready  reply  follows  the 
brilliant  sally.  And  if  we  look  into  other  rooms  where 
grave  subjects  are  under  review,  there  is  no  wandering 
eye,  nor  one  who  is  not  wholly  absorbed  in  the  dis- 
course. But,  my  dear  Perpetua,  had  you  looked  in  at 
one  of  our  grand  parties,  you  would  have  seen  the 
hostess  all  anxiety  to  save  young  ladies  from  ennui  at 
being  left  alone  to  gaze  at  her  pictures ;  or  if  in  the 
dancing  hall,  from  becoming  fixtures  against  the  wall 
for  want  of  proper  partners  in  the  dance.  And  one- 
half  of  all  present,  weary  of  the  stuj)iclities  of  a  party, 
which  nothing  could  have  induced  them  to  meet,  but  the 
fear  of  losing  caste,  and  so  dropping  out  of  the  world  of 
fashion.  I  never  Avillingly  ventured  upon  such  a  fiery 
ordeal  of  my  patience;  but  somehow  the  demands  of 
society — such  as  a  wedding  party  for  a  cousm,  or  a  niece ; 
or  when  my  Augusta  had  been  elected  bridesmaid  to  a 
school-girl  friend,  she  must  give  a  party  to  the  bride  in 
acknowledgment  of  the  distinction  thus  conferred — in 
some  such  way  I  was  made  a  martyr  to  good  society 
about  once  a  year." 

"  And  you  demeaned  yourself  with  the  patience  of  a 
saint,"  replied  Perj)etua,  with  a  smile. 

"  A  saint  '  all  of  the  modern  time,'  Perpetua.  There 
is  some  difference  in  the  martyrdoms  of  the  present  day. 


SCENES    IN    ANOTlIKll    WOKLD.  201 

and  those  sixteen  centuries  since.  Then  you  were  cou- 
sumed  to  ashes  by  those  who  hated  you ;  but  now  we 
are  only  done  hroion  by  our  '  dear  live  hundred  friends.' " 

Passing  a  room  in  which  tliere  were  but  two  persons 
seated  on  a  sofa  in  earnest  colloquy — 

"Come,"  said  Perpetua,  "let  us  join  Sulpicius  Severus 
and  St.  Hedwiges,  both  dear  friends  of  mine."  So  say- 
ing, she  led  Mrs.  Jay  mto  the  room  and  presented  her. 
"  Do  not  let  us  interrupt  your  conversation,  which  we 
come  to  sha*?,"  said  Perpetua. 

"With  pleasure,  Perpetua,"  said  Severus.  "I  was 
telling  St.  Hedwiges  of  my  mterview  Avith  St.  John 
Chrysostom;  and  was  about  to  tell  her  what  he  said, 
speaking  of  my  life  of  St.  Martui,  and  of  his  own  works 
and  mine  in  favor  of  Christian  asceticism  and  ceUbacy. 
The  remark  I  was  about  to  repeat  to  St.  Hedwiges  as 
you  came  up  was  this — that  Chrysostom  in  reviewing 
all  that  had  follOAved  his  own  labors  in  this  direction,  and 
Mhicli  were  to  follow  for  centuries  to  come,  unless  God 
should  interpose  and  consume  the  world  by  the  bright- 
ness of  his  coming ;  with  intense  feeling  said :  '  I  feel, 
Severus,  as  if  I  could  adopt  the  language  of  Paul,  and 
wish  myself  accursed  from  Christ,  rather  than  have 
inflicted  all  this  weight  of  misery  which  has  rested  and 
will  rest  upon  misguided  youthful  hearts.'  He  added : 
'  God's  infinitude  of  mercy  is  alone  equal  to  the  forgive- 
ness of  such  as  have  corrupted  the  simplicity  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  and  whose  lives  and  labors  are  to  be 

9* 


202  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

regarded  as  a  curse  rather  tlian  a  blessing  to  tlie  world. 
Ministers  of  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  we  have 
fastened  heavy  chams  of  a  cruel  bondage  upon  those 
whom  Christ  has  made  free.  What  height  and  depth 
of  wretchedness  has  followed  your  labors  and  mine!' 
exclaimed  Chrysostom." 

These  remarks  at  once  interested  Mrs.  Jay,  who  could 
not  but  express  her  astonishment  that  the  great  men  of 
the  early  church  could  so  soon  forget  the  Saviour,  and 
substitute  for  his  righteousness  the  idols  of  celibacy  and 
alms-giving.  In  reply  to  this,  Severus  showed  by  what 
slow  steps  the  great  doctrine  of  salvation  by  faith  became 
corrujDted  and  changed.  He  traced  the  rise  of  asceticism 
to  Hindostan,  far  into  the  depths  of  antiquity.  He 
spoke  as  follows:  "Monachisra  did  not  take  its  rise  in 
the  church.  It  is  not  a  Christian  institution.  In  the  . 
laws  of  Menu,  wi'itten  fifteen  centuries  before  the  Christ- 
ian era,  the  following  directions  are  given  how  to 
become  a  saint.  The  words  of  Menu  are :  '  Let  a  man 
seclude  himself  from  the  world,  and  gain  the  favor  of  the 
gods,  by  fasting,  subduing  the  lusts  and  mortifying  the 
senses.  Let  him  crawl  backwards  and  forwards  on  his 
belly ;  or  let  him  stand  all  day  on  his  toes.  Let  him 
remain  always  sitting  or  always  standing  :  only  at  sunrise, 
Boon  and  sunset,  let  him  go  to  the  water  and  bathe.'  * 
In  this  last  direction  the  Fakirs  of  India  far  surpassed 
our  early  monks;   for  the  Hindoos  associated  holiness 

*  Cited  by  Ru£Qn,  in  his  "  Fathers  of  the  Desert,"  toI.  i.  p.  24. 


8CENK8    m    ANOTITER    WOKLD.  203 

with  personal  cleanliness,  but  not  so  tlie  saints  of  our 
age.  St.  Athanasius,  in  his  Life  of  St.  Anthony  the 
Monk,  sj)eaking  of  his  mortification  of  the  flesh,  in  a 
tone  of  high  commendation,  says:  'St.  Anthony  wore 
inside  a  hair  shirt ;  outside  a  skin.  These  he  kept  on  to 
the  end  of  his  days.  He  never  washed  the  dirt  from  his 
body.  He  would  not  even  wash  his  feet,  nor  let  them 
touch  water  when  he  could  help  it.'  "  * 

This  subject  thus  introduced  was  made  the  topic  of  an 
hour's  talk,  in  which  St.  Hedwigos  shared  largely.  It 
was  to  Mrs.  Jay  a  novelty  to  listen  to  a  discussion  of 
this  sort,  by  those  who  could  say  Avith  ^neas,  "All 
which  I  saw,  and  part  of  which  I  was." 

As  it  was  getting  late,  Perpetua  and  Mrs.  Jay  rose, 
and  thanking  Sulpicius  and  St.  Hedwiges  for  their  kind 
courtesy,  they  took  leave. 

•  Ruffin,  vol.  L  p.  2TT. 


204  THE   GATES  WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Feast  of  Fruits  and  Flowers— Mrs.  Jay  introduced  to  Dante  and  Beatrice — 
Perpetua  and  Mra.  Jay  meet  Laurens  and  Peter  Schleinilil  on  the  Lawn— They 
are  joined  by  Faustiuus  and  Calliste— Laurens  gives  an  Account  of  a  Meeting 
of  Savans  in  a  Distant  World  for  the  Advancement  of  Knowledge — Description 
of  the  Academy— They  go  to  the  Section  of  Metaphysicians— Peter  Schlemihl 
gives  an  Account  of  his  Expeinences— CalUste  is  surprised  to  hear  Peter  speak 
of  his  Seven  Senses— Peter's  Explanation— Gives  his  Views  of  the  Discussions — 
Laurens  resumes  his  Narrative— Mrs.  Jay's  Story  of  a  Learned  Lady  of  the 
East— The  Search  for  the  Absolute — Sir  William  Hamilton  and  Plato  compared 
— The  Jews  had  no  Philosophy — Faustinus  gives  his  Views— Laurens  finishes  the 
Narrative  of  his  Visit— Perpetua  defends  the  Metaphysicians— They  go  to  the 
Temple  to  hear  Beethoven's  new  Anthem— The  Scene  described — St.  Ctcilia  and 
Beethoven. 

Eakly  the  next  morning  tlie  palace  was  all  astir,  eagerly 
crowding  into  the  great  temple  to  listen  to  the  new 
oratorio  composed  by  Mozart,  called  "  The  Crucifixion." 
It  was  performed  at  smirisc,  in  order  that  the  intense 
sadness  it  inspired  might  be  dispersed  during  the  day  of 
sunshine. 

At  the  feast  of  fruits  ana  riowers  which  followed,  and 
which  was  not  unworthy  Raphael's  entertainment,  Per- 
petua and  Mrs.  Jay  had  taken  their  seats  together,  when 
two  of  the  Redeemed,  a  lady  and  gentleman,  whose  air 


8CENI':S    IN    ANOTHER    WORLD.  205 

and  bearing  ri vetted  the  attention  of  Mrs.  Jay,  took  seats 
opposite.  They  bowed  to  Perpetua,  and  addrc'ssing  her, 
spolce  of  the  eloquence  of  Mozart's  music.  They  had 
discoursed  together  some  time,  greatly  to  Mrs.  Jay's 
satisfaction,  when  Perpetua,  recollecting  herself,  turning 
to  Mrs.  Jay,  said :  "  Pardon  me,  dear  Mrs.  Jay,  I  have 
failed  to  present  to  you  two  persons  Avith  whom  I  am 
sure  you  are  somewhat  acquainted  already.  This  is 
Dante,  my  beloved  friend,  and  this  is  Beatrice,  his  friend 
and  mine." 

They  kindly  welcomed  Mrs.  Jay  to  the  circle  of  the 
blessed,  and  both  manifested  their  interest  in  the  native 
land  of  Mrs.  Jay,  with  which  they  showed  themselves 
acquainted,  by  asking  her  many  questions  concerning  the 
progress  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  That  subject  was 
always  first  in  the  souls  of  the  Redeemed. 

A  literary  lady,  who  sat  next  Perpetua,  sought  to 
enlist  the  attention  of  Dante,  telling  him  of  her  recent 
visit  to  Italy,  England  and  New  England,  and  of  the 
wide  popularity  of  his  "  Divina  Conmiedia,"  of  which 
she  had  seen  very  many  translations  in  the  languages  of 
Europe.  "  Indeed,"  she  said,  "  I  knew  one  lady  of  high 
standing  who  always  travelled  with  a  pocket  edition  of 
the  original,  and  yet  she  could  not  even  read  modern 
Italian  writers."  * 

Dante  replied,   "  I  assure  you,  madam,  I  had  rather 

*  This  remarkable  expression  of  admiration  of  Dante  is  a  fact ;  the  lady  thus 
impressing  upon  the  unlearned  a  belief  of  her  eminent  scholarship. 


206  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

have  wi'itten  the  Psahns  and  Hymns  of  Dr.  Watts  than 
all  the  epics  the  world  has  ever  seen," 

While  this  lady  was  so  fluent,  in  speaking  to  Dante, 
Mrs.  Jay  felt  awed  in  such  presence.  There  was  an 
atmosphere  which  surrounded  these  personages,  some- 
thing beyond  and  above  anything  she  had  before  experi- 
enced ;  inspiring  in  her  heart  emotions  of  homage  and 
profound  interest,  so  deep  as  gave  force  to  their  every 
action  and  word. 

Perpetua  remarked  this  awe  impressed  by  Dante  upon 
her  friend,  who  had  never  before  manifested  any  remark- 
able development  of  the  organ  of  veneration ;  for  now 
Mrs.  Jay  sat  perfectly  quiet,  contented  to  be  an  ob- 
server, and  replied  briefly  and  explicitly  to  all  Dante's 
inquiries,  as  if  she  regretted  every  second  of  time  thus 
absorbed  by  herself.  It  was  evident  she  had  in  some 
sort  the  terror  of  the  ancient  Florentines  for  the  man 
who  had  descended  into  the  abodes  of  the  damned. 

Rising  from  the  banquet-table,  in  company  with  all  the 
guests,  Perpetua  and  Mrs.  Jay  walked  out  upon  the 
lawn,  when  Laurens  and  Peter  aUghted  from  the  clouds 
and  joined  them. 

"  Where  have  you  been  playing  truant,  Peter  ?"  asked 
Mrs.  Jay.  "  You  would  not  have  left  me  a  stranger  in  a 
strange  city  ten  years  since." 

"  It  is  all  my  fault,  Mrs.  Jay,"  said  Laurens.  "  I  will 
tell  you  how  it  has  happened.  Let  us  go  into  this  sum- 
mer-house where  we  can  sit  down." 


SCENES    IN   AJSrOTHEK   WOELD.  207 

This  proposal  was  at  once  acceded  to,  and  they 
entered  a  sweet  arbor  of  flowers  not  far  distant,  where 
they  took  seats. 

"  To  begin  at  the  beginning,"  said  Laurens.  "  On  the 
day  we  left  the  palace,  my  friend  Peter  and  I  rose  up 
into  the  air,  to  enjoy  the  scenery  below  us.  While  thus 
engaged  in  taking  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  country 
around,  we  were  jomed  by  an  angel  and  two  gentlemen 
who  were  on  their  way  to  a  great  Convocation  for  the 
Advancement  of  Knowledge,  to  be  held  in  a  distant 
world,  at  which  they  told  us  the  great  minds  of  the  ages 
would  be  present,  and  urged  us  to  go  with  them.  Now 
I  was  earnest  to  go,  and  Peter  out  of  kindness  consented 
to  keep  me  company. 

"It  was  a  long  flight,  and  we  did  not  come  within  the 
atmosphere  of  the  world  of  science  till  it  was  high  noon. 
We  reached  the  city  where  the  savans  were  assembled, 
and  found  the  sitting  for  the  day  had  already  com- 
menced." 

At  this  point  of  time,  Faustinus  and  Calliste,  who 
were  in  search  of  Perpetua  and  Mrs.  Jay,  discovered 
them,  and  hastened  to  enter  the  arbor.  They  were 
joyously  welcomed,  and  at  once  presented  to  Laurens 
and  Peter.  This  done,  Perpetua  told  them  of  what  Mr. 
Laurens  was  about  to  communicate ;  whereupon  they 
both  expressed  their  great  satisfaction,  and  the  pleasure 
it  would  give  them  to  listen. 

Laurens,  having  rehearsed  all  he  had  said,  went  on 


208  THE  GATES   V.'IDE  OPEN;   OR, 

thus :  "  The  Academy  we  found  in  a  central  square.  It 
was  a  stately  pile,  whose  high  and  burnished  dome 
reflected  the  rays  of  the  meridian  sun,  as  if  it  had  been 
a  great  beacon  fire.  We  alighted  m  front  of  the  grand 
entrance,  and  were  instantly  approached  by  citizens  who 
acted  as  marshals.  They  received  us  with  kind  courtesy, 
and  inquired  to  which  of  the  several  sections  or  depart- 
ments of  the  Academy  they  should  lead  us.  The  angel 
and  his  friends  requested  to  be  led  to  the  section  or  sit- 
ting of  the  chemists,  and  Peter  having  no  choice,  I  asked 
them  to  lead  us  to  the  sittmg  of  metaphysicians.  On 
reachmg  the  platform  of  the  pillared  portico,  we  walked 
mto  a  magnificent  rotunda,  whose  dome  rose  five  hun- 
dred feet,  and  was  adorned  with  suitable  frescos  and 
bass-reliefs,  illustrative  of  the  arts  and  sciences.  It  was 
here  we  separated  from  our  travelling  companions,  they 
being  conducted  to  one  wing  of  the  building  and  we  to 
the  other.  On  entering  the  apartment,  we  were  led  to 
raised  seats  appropriated  to  the  spectators.  The  hall 
was  circular  and  lighted  from  the  dome.  It  was  as  plain 
as  marble  could  make  it.  There  was  the  absence  of  all 
ornament.  No  bass-reliefs  ran  around  the  cornice,  no 
statues  stood  along  the  wall,  no  angels  in  fresco  hovered 
over  the  assembly  high  up  in  the  dome ;  nothing  could 
be  more  massive  and  severe  than  this  spacious  hall  of 
science.  When  we  entered,  our  attendant,  at  our 
request,  took  a  seat  beside  us,  to  point  out  the  chief 
personages  below   us.      It   was    awe-inspiring    thus   to 


SCENES    IN    ANOTUEK   WORLD,  209 

look   down   upou    the    great    iniuds   of   the    Christian 
world." 

"  How  many  were  present  ?"  asked  Perpetua. 

"  There  must  have  been  over  five  hundred,"  replied 
Laurens,  looking  towards  Peter,  who  bowed  his  assent. 
"We  were  told  the  person  presiding  was  none  other 
than  Blaise  Pascal." 

"A  glorious  soul!"  exclaimed  Perpetua.  "Wasnot 
Jacqueline  present  ?" 

"  She  was,"  replied  Laurens,  "  and  sat  next  Arnauld, 
of  Port  Royal,  in  company  with  Madame  Dufargis 
d'Augennes,  Prioress  of  Port  Royal  des  Champs." 

"  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  both  those  eminent 
and  saintly  ladies,  soon  after  they  were  liberated  from 
earth,  in  company  with  Pascal,  Aruauld,  Shiglin  and 
others  of  Port  Royal.  A  noble  company  of  con- 
fessors !  I  believe  Blaise  and  his  sister  have  never 
been  separated  for  a  day  since  they  met  in  the  world 
of  spirits.  Pardon  me  for  my  iuterrui)tion,  Mr.  Lau- 
rens. Pray  go  on,  and  tell  us  all  that  mterested 
you." 

Mr.  Laurens  proceeded  :  "  Sir  WiUiam  Hamilton  hav- 
ing that  day  been  duly  elected  a  member  of  the  Aca^ 
demy,  was  for  the  first  time  introduced  to  the  assembly, 
and  was  seated  on  the  right  of  Pascal,  in  the  seat  of 
honor." 

"I  have  heard  of  limi  before,"  said  Mr$.  Jay,  with 
delight  to  thhik  she  had  reached  so  high  up  into  this 


210  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

world  of  science,  as  to  be  familiar  with  the  name  of  a 
great  philosopher.  "Perhaps,  Mr.  Laurens,  you  may 
have  seen  some  other  notabilities  whose  names  at  least  I 
have  before  heard  of?" 

"  Doubtless,"  said  Mr.  Laurens.  "  I  confess  most  of 
the  names  were  quite  new  to  me.  They  may  have  been 
eminent  in  the  dark  ages ;  but  they  have  not  come  down 
on  the  stream  of  time,  which  hides  beneath  its  surface 
all  that  is  weighty  and  solid  in  philosophy,  while  that 
which  is  light,  swims."  * 

"  How  do  you  know  this,  my  dear  Mr.  Laurens  ? 
Have  you  any  diving-bell  to  make  this  grand  discov- 
ery ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay,  thinking  to  make  a  hit  upon  her 
friend. 

Laurens  replied  "v\-ith  a  smUe  full  of  good  humor :  "  I 
was  taught  to  beheve  so  by  one  to  whom  the  world  is, 
and  will  be  forever  indebted ;  who  said,  that  '  the  great- 
est geniuses  in  all  ages  have  suffered  the  greatest  vio- 
lence ' — and  it  is  his  image  and  not  mine  that  I  have  just 
made  use  of;  and  which  his  translator  instances  in  a  note 
as  exemplified  in  the  philosophies  of  Plato  and  Aristotle, 
in  contrast  with  that  of  the  lost  philosophy  of  Democri- 
tus.  But  Mrs.  Jay,  I  can  teU  you  of  some  whose  names 
you  have  certainly  heard  of  before:  There  sat  the 
Angelical  doctor,  f  Thomas  of  Aqicine,  and  Dims  Scotus, 

*  Lord  Bacon. 

t  In  the  Lives  of  the  Saints  (for  the  7th  of  March),  published  three  centuries 
since  in  English,  this  title  is  thus  explained  :    "  This  holy  Doctour  is  nailed  the 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  211 

the  Subtle ;  and  other  divme  and  irrefragable  doctors  of 
the  Latm  church,  who,  if  they  failed  to  discover  the 
•matter  of  knowledge,  have  been  unsurpassed  m  invent- 
ing the  forms  by  which  it  is  conveyed  to  the  minds  of 
men.  And  besides  these,  there  was  pomted  out  to  me, 
Lord  Bacon,  Doctor  Chalmers,  Doctor  Samuel  Clark, 
Jacob  Bohme,  Leibnitz,  Fenelon,  Sir  Isaac  Newton, 
John  Locke,  Bishops  Barrow,  Butler  and  Berkeley,  Doc- 
tor Thomas  BroAvn,  Doctor  Arnold  of  Rugby;  Dugald 
Stewart,  and  Doctor  Beattie  and  Coleridge,  and  many 
more  whose  names  I  need  not  rej^eat ;  and  last  not  least, 
certaualy  not  in  my  eyes,  sat  the  eminent  Jonathan  Ed- 
wards side  by  side  with  the  genial  and  lovely  Bishop 
Berkeley.  Doctor  Clark  and  Doctor  Chalmers  appeared 
to  be  on  most  intimate  terms,  and  Coleridge  sat  dream- 
ing, ever  dreaming,  during  the  session ;  every  new  phase 
of  the  discussion  giving  a  new  unijulse  to  his  reverie. 
I  was  pleased  to  see  Newton  and  Leibnitz  whispering 
together  every  now  and  then,  as  the  discussions  went 
on ;  as  I  guessed,  comparing  notes." 

"  Pray,  tell  us,  what  was  the  matter  in  hand  ?"  asked 
Mrs.  Jay.  "  I  am  curious  to  know  what  they  find  to 
talk  about  this  side  of  the  grave ;  are  not  vou,  Faus- 
tinus  ?"  she  said,  turning  to  Faustinus  for  a  reply. 

Angelical  Doctour  for  three  respects ;  first,  for  the  ingeniousness  wherewith  tie 
handled  his  questions;  secori.dly,  for  that  he  wrote  of  the  angels  like  an  angel; 
the  third,  for  that  he  was  a  Virgin ;  for  that  which  an  Angel  is  in  heaven,  a  Virgin 
is  on  earth." 


212  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

"  I  left  off  with  Plato,"  replied  Faustiuus.  "  I  know 
nothing  of  modern  methods  of  philosophy.  Doubtless 
they  have  made  important  discoveries ;  and  these  philoso- 
phers of  whom  Mr.  Laurens  has  been  speakmg,  may 
have  made  as  great  advance  upon  Plato,  as  Plato  upon 
Heraclitus  and  Pythagoras." 

"  Let  me  reply  to  you,  my  Faustinus,"  said  Perpetua. 
" '  Speculation  has  advanced  not  one  step  farther  than 
when  he  left  it.  Plato  stands  confessedly  at  the  head  of 
the  speculative  genius  of  the  world.'  But  I  beg  Mr. 
Laurens  will  answer  Mrs.  Jay's  inquiry,  and  tell  us  what 
was  the  subject  under  consideration." 

"You  must  pardon  my  inability  to  do  justice  to  these 
great  minds,"  replied  Mr.  Laurens ;  "  and  I  wiU  do  what 
I  may  to  comply  with  your  request.  The  subject-matter 
was  the  Absolute,  and  our  cognitions  of  the  Absolute. 
The  point  made  was  the  occult  question,  whether  it  was 
possible  to  bridge  the  abyss  from  the  subjective  to  the 
objective — from  the  apparent  to  the  real.*  Lord  Bacon 
was  speaking  when  we  took  our  seats.  He  remarked, 
that '  as  navigation  was  imperfect  before  the  use  of  the 

*  This  seems  to  have  been  the  aim  of  Plato.  A  writer  in  the  London  Quarterly, 
Article :  "  Institutes  of  Metaphysics,"  etc.,  says :  "  Plato's  dialectic  (which  seems 
to  answer  to  what  we  call  self-examination.)  had  clearly  this  one  object :  it  was  an 
attempt  to  bridge  over  the  gulf  between  man  and  the  ideal  world.  .  .  .  Was 
there  not  an  ideal  world,  the  region  of  real  being,  whether  or  not  in  the  mind  of 
the  Deity,  in  which  the  soul  of  the  votary  might  be  lost  forever  in  the  mystic  con- 
templation of  the  True,  the  Beautiful  and  the  Good?  Was  there  not  as  surely 
some  pathway  by  which  the  soul  could  ascend  to  this  its  native  region,  and  by 
searching  find  out  its  truest  heaven  ?    Plato  gave  a  long  answer  to  this  inquiry." 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  213 

compass,  so  will  many  secrets  of  nature  and  art  remain 
madiscovered  without  a  more  perfect  knowledge  of  the 
understanding,  its  uses  and  ways  of  working.'  *  He  was 
folloAved  by  Duns  Scotug  and  Thomas  Aquinas ;  but  such 
was  the  strangeness  of  their  terminology,  so  numerous 
their  subdivisions,  that  I  was  unable  to  comprehend  any- 
thing of  their  line  of  argiunent.  Next,  Locke  spoke  in 
his  clear,  simple  style  ;  and  though  the  speeches  that  fol- 
lowed were  brief,  they  were  so  entirely  satisfactory  to 
my  mind,  that  it  seemed  to  me  the  last  speech  settled 
the  vexed  question ;  but  I  soon  grew  diffident,  and 
before  they  concluded,  I  listened  without  any  attempt 
to  form  a  judgment  as  to  the  dark  oracles  which  were 
Oldened." 

Mrs.  Jay,  turning  to  Peter,  who  sat  quietly  listening 
to  all  that  was  said,  looking  as  if  his  mind  had  wandered 
leagues  away  from' the  subject  on  hand,  said:  "Well, 
Peter,  I  suppose  you  heard  so  much  about  the  me  and 
the  ?iot  me,  until  you  did  not  know  whether  you  stood 
on  your  head  or  your  heels  ?" 

"Precisely  so,  Mrs.  Jay.  Of  coui-se  I  made  out  so 
much  as  this,  that  all  the  knowledge  of  a  world  outside 
ourselves  came  to  us  through  our  senses,  and  I  came  to 
the  wise  cmiclusion  that  if  our  wise  men  of  modern 
times  vnM  not  believe  their  seven  senses,  there  is  then 
no  hope  for  them."  f 

*  "  De  Augmentis  Scientiarum,"  translated  by  Shaw. 

*  The  ahle  Presiilent  oi'  Rochester    University,   New  York,  M.  B.  Anderson, 


214  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  Seven  senses !"  exclaimed  Calliste.  "  And  has  the 
area  of  the  senses  been  enlarged  as  well  as  the  land  on 
our  globe  since  we  last  visited  it  ?" 

"  Did  I  say  seven  senses  ?"  asked  Peter  demurely. 

"  Yes,  sir,  you  did ;  and  I  would  Uke  to  have  you  tell 
me  what  these  are." 

"  If  I  said  seven  senses,  seven  it  shall  be.  Well  thon, 
madam,  there  is  the  sense  of  seeing,  of  feeling,  of  hear- 
ing, of  smelling,  of  tasting,"  and  he  paused. 

"Yes,  Mr.  Peter,  I  had  all  these  myself;  Avhat 
next?" 

"  Common  sense  !  Did  you  have  that  ?"  asked 
Peter. 

"  And  what  is  common  sense  ?"  asked  Calliste. 

LL.D.,  in  a  brief  review  of  "Lewes'  History  of  Philostiphy,"  thus  speaks  of  the 
latest  of  all  philosophical  systems,  known  as  "  Comte's  Positive  Philosophy :" 
"  It  follows,  from  Mr.  Lewes'  own  showing,  th«  external  world  is  only  a  matter  of 
inference,  and  this  inference  is  not  necessary,  but  contingent.  He  is  placed,  in 
reference  to  the  external  world,  in  a  relation  precisely  similar  to  that  which  led 
Berkeley  and  Collier  to  deny  that  matter  had  any  existence  out  of  the  perceiving 
mind."  And  further  on,  President  Anderson  says :  "  In  view  of  the  deductions 
which  we  have  made  from  the  principles  which  Mr.  Lewes  holds,  in  common  with 
his  master,  Comte,  one  cannot  but  be  amused  at  his  extravagant  claims  for  Posi- 
tive Science.  On  his  own  showing,  this  boasted  method  is  conversant  only  with 
shadows.  So  far  from  having  anything  to  do  with  the  real,  the  solid  and  the  cer- 
tain only,  it  stands  before  us  a  philosophy  of  matter,  which  catinot  even  certify 
us,  by  any  legitimate  method,  of  the  real  existence  of  the  earth  on  which  we 
tread ;  as  a  philosophy  of  the  real,  which  is  founded  on  a  denial  of  all  knowledge 
of  reality  at  the  very  outset.  It  comes  to  us  as  a  philosophy  of  law,  while  it  de- 
nies the  existence  of  all  necessary  convictions.  It  comes  to  us  as  a  philosophy  of 
effects,  while  it  affirms  the  knowledge  of  causes  to  be  impossitle,  and  their  pursuit 
absurd." 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER    "WORLD.  215 

"  Do  you  not  know  what  common  sense  is  ?  and  did 
you  never  hear  of  this  in  your  lifetime  ?" 

Calliste  shook  her  head. 

"How  could  you  get  on  without'it?"  continued  Peter. 

"  Peter  Schlemihl!"  cried  Mrs.  Jay,  "  how  can  you  be 
so  rude  ?  Common  sense,  dear  Calliste,  in  the  parlance 
of  the  present  day,  means  the  instinctive  decision  of  the 
mind  unperverted  by  passion  or  ignorance ;  or,  in  other 
words,  sound  practical  judgment.  Now  then,  Peter, 
please  explain  yourself." 

"  With  all  pleasure,  so  I  do  not  weary  ray  audience," 
said  Peter.  "Doctor  Reid  told  us  this  morning  that 
common  sense  was  '  the  mathematical  affections  of  mat- 
tor;*  a  part  of  human  nature  which,'  he  said,  'had 
never  been  explained.'  f  In  answer.  Doctor  Beattie  rose 
and  declared  common  sense  was,  'that  power  of  the 
mind  which  pe^eives  truth  or  commands  belief,  not  by 
progressive  augmentation,  but  by  an  instantaneous  and 
instinctive  impulse ;'  \  and  further,  '  it  is  instinct  and  not 
reason.'  §  Doctor  Stewart  declared  it  to  be  '  the  co)n- 
nion  reason  of  mankind.'  This  did  not  quite  satisfy 
Doctor  Roid,  Avho  would  have  it  far  above  all  this,  for 
he  said  expressly,  'that  common  sense  was  the  direct 
inspiration  of  God,  leading  us,  where  our  reasoning  facul- 
ties leave  us  in  the  dark.'  "  || 

♦  Reid's  Essays,  vol.  1.  p.  95.  t  Inquiry,  oh.  vii.  p.  4S0.  sec.  iii.  p.  115. 

%  Beattie  on  Truth,  part  i.  ch.  i.  p.  2.  §  Ibid,  part  ii.  ch.  i. 

1  Reid,  ch.  vii.  p.  4S2. 


216  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"Ah!  well,  Mr.  Peter,"  said  Callisto,  smiling,  "if  that 
is  all  your  wise  scholars  have  discovered  for  a  sixth  sense, 
I  do  not  think  much  of  their  long  labor.  We  Romans 
were  not  wanting  in"  it,  though  we  never  perplexed 
ourselves  about  it.     But  what  for  your  seventh  sense  ?" 

"  Oh,  that  is  a  modern  discovery,"  replied  Peter, 
"  and  some  good  folks  call  it  '  a  realizing  sense.'  " 

"  Calhste,  this  dear  friend  of  mine  has  shown  a  sad 
lack  of  his  sixth  sense,  and  the  entire  want  of  his 
seventh,"  said  Mrs.  Jay.  "  I  insist  on  it,  Mr.  Schlemihl, 
that  you  shall  give  such  a  description  of  what  you  have 
seen  and  heard  as  we  shall  all  comprehend." 

"I  wish  it  were  in  my  power  to  comply  with  your 
request ;  but  comprehending  but  little  of  what  I  heard 
much,  how  can  I  do  so  ?" 

"  Try,  Peter ;  there  is  nothing  like  an  honest  effort," 
said  Mrs.  Jay.  ^ 

Calliste,  who  had  entered  into  the  humor  of  Mrs.  Jay, 
united  her  entreaties  that  Peter  Schlemihl  should  do  his 
best  in  meeting  her  wishes. 

Peter  bowing,  commenced :  "  You  must  all  have  in 
your  mind's  eye,  this  conclave  of  philosophers,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  philosophic  ladies,  every  one  of  whom 
looked  the  impersonation  of  wisdom.  On  taking  my 
seat  there  was,  to  my  apprehension,  a  hideous  gabble 
about  words.  The  Scholastics  had  a  great  deal  to  say  in 
praise  of  their  logic  and  method ;  of  the  distinctions  to 
be  made  in  causation  between  what  is  formal^  material 


SCENES   m   ANOTHER   WORLD.  217 

and  Jlfial — that  logic  must  be  as  a  lighted  lami),  in  the 
hand  of  scientific  investigation,  in  finding  our  way  along 
the  labyrinth  of  the  soul.  Others  claimed  that  the 
method  so  long  followed  was  nothing  better  than  the 
attempt  to  dij)  up  moonshine ;  and  that  a  review  of  all 
that  had  been  done  since  the  Christian  era,  as  Perpetua 
just  now  remarked,  was  not  a  step  in  advance  of  Plato. 
It  was  said,  that  '  modern  j)hilosophy  had  lost  its  way 
for  three  centuries,  and  was  like  the  traveller  on  western 
prairies,  who  galloped  all  day  long  in  terror  upon  his 
own  track,  until  he  returned  to  the  place  from  which  he 
started,  and  the  sun  was  going  down.'  * 

"  As  for  myself,  I  Avas  soon  at  sea  without  compass, 
sail  or  rudder.  Realism  and  Idealism,  the  Absolute  and 
the  Apparent,  were  terms  bandied  about  fi*om  one  to 
another,  as  if  they  had  been  a  shuttle-cock,  which  all 
sought  to  keep  up  in  the  air.  One  gave  it  a  hit,  and,  to 
use  the  terms  of  Louis  Philippe's  Chamber  of  Deputies, 
away  it  flew  to  the  '  extreme  left,'  and  when  it  was  hit 
again,  it  bounded  to  the  '  centre-right,'  and  so  it  flcAV 
about,  till  at  last  it  went  directly  into  the  face  of  Sir 
William  Hamilton,  who  gave  it  a  fillip,  when  it  rose 
liigh  into  the  dome,  and  falling,  lit  upon  the  nose  of 
John  Locke,  who  gave  a  puflT  and  away  it  went  mto  the 
lap  of  Mr.  Jonathan  Edwards ;  who,  having  examined  it 
a  moment,  mit  it  into  his  breeches-pocket;  whereupon 

♦  London  Quarterly. 

^      10 


218  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

the  Bureau  of  Metaphysics  rose  and  reported  progress 
(but  what  progress  they  had  made  I  cannot  so  much  as 
guess),  and  asked  leave  to  sit  again.  Now,  ladies,  hav- 
ing given  you  my  experience,  I  refer  you  to  my  friend 
Laurens  for  the  rationale  of  all  I  have  told  you." 

The  ladies  complimented  Mr.  Schlemihl  on  his  admir- 
able sketch  of  what  he  had  seen  and  heard ;  and  then 
begged  Mr.  Laurens  to  interpret  his  parables. 

"I  fear  I  am  unequal  to  such  a  task,"  replied  Mr. 
Laurens,  "  because  of  my  inability  to  foUow  all  that  was 
said.  You  are  aU  aware  that  the  Absolute,  as  a  funda- 
mental notion  and  as  the  chief  constituent  of  all  intel- 
lection, has  been  of  aU  subjects  the  most  difficult  to 
manage.  If  Truth,  as  has  been  said,  lies  at  the  bottom 
of  a  well,  no  finite  mind  has  been  able  to  touch  bottom, 
and  drag  her  up  by  her  locks.  Sir  William  Hamilton, 
in  his  speech  on  the  Absolute  or  '  unconditioned,'  advo- 
cated his  ideas  as  published  in  his  works." 

"  Cannot  you  give  us  a  brief  of  his  ideas,"  asked 
Faustinus ;  "  for  I  am  ignorant  of  all  that  has  been  done 
on  earth  for  many  centuries ;  and  this  I  can  see  is  a  mat- 
ter of  instant  moment  in  aU  the  circles  of  heaven  as  well 
as  on  earth." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?"  exclauned  Mrs.  Jay.  "  I  had  sup- 
posed all  such  discussions,  which  necessarily  surpass  the 
comprehension  of  creatures,  whether  angels  or  men, 
would  have  been,  on  this  side  of  existence,  confined  to 
the  Paradise  of  Fools.    The  use  of  these  famous  sound 


SCENES   EST   ANOTHER   WORLD.  219 

ing  Ayords  reminds  me  of  one  of  the  Eastern  magi  of 
modern  times.  She  was  called  upon  in  a  court  of  some 
sort,  to  give  her  testimony  in  a  case  of  misplaced  affec- 
tion. In  givmg  a  narrative  of  her  acquaintance  with 
the  deserter,  she  told  the  judges,  that  while  he  talked 
to  her  of  the  ontology  of  Locke  and  his  theory  of  ideas, 
of  Condillac,  of  Baron  d'Holbach  and  the  French  En- 
cyclopiedists,  and  then  of  the  Scotch  school,  of  Adam 
Smith,  Reid,  Stewart  and  Thomas  Brown — she  listened 
with  cold  indifference,  and  could  not  have  told  the  color 
of  his  eyes.  He  never  enlisted  her  attention,  and  her 
heart  was  untouched ;  but  when  in  lapse  of  months  he 
came  to  si^eak  of  the  school  of  Hegel,  of  Fichte  and 
Schelling,  then  it  was  her  bosom  heaved  its  first  sigh ; 
and  M'hen  at  last  he  spoke  of  our  Cognitions  d  priori^ 
and  of  categorical  Imparatives  synthetically  imderstood, 
the  flood-gates  of  her  heart  were  broken  open,  and  all 
the  gushing  tides  of  her  pent-up  affections  burst  forth. 
What  do  you  think  of  that,  Faustinus  and  Calliste? 
Did  you  ever  hear  of  anything  like  this  in  your 
times  ?" 

Calliste  and  Faustinus  both  confessed  themselves  igno- 
rant of  any  such  method  of  reaching  a  lady's  heart. 
This  matter  was  made  the  theme  of  some  playftJ  remarks, 
when  Faustinus  begged  to  be  permitted  to  go  back  to 
the  subject  of  their  colloquy,  and  asked  Mr.  Laurens  to 
give  him  some  idea  of  Sir  William  Hamilton's  method 
of  reaching  the  Absolute,  which  h3  had  supposed  must 


220  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEJ^ ;   OR, 

exist  in  a  finite  mind  simply  as  the  negation  of  that 
which  is  conditioned. 

Mr.  Laurens  replied  :  "  I  believe  it  is  so  held  by  all 
Enfiflish  and  Scotch  philosophers,  and  Sir  William,  in 
this  discussion,  held  that  the  Absolute,  though  not  an 
object  of  real  knowledge,  exists  within  our  consciousness 
as  a  regulative  principle,  and  though  the  Absolute  can- 
not be  comprehended  in  consciousness  or  reflection,  it 
can  be  gazed  upon  by  a  higher  faculty — that  of  intel- 
lectual intuition  ;  and  when  so  grasj^ed  by  reason,  can  be 
brought  within  the  compass  of  our  real  consciousness."  * 

"  Is  it  not  too  much  of  earth  to  bring  siTch  discussions 
into  the  worlds  of  light  ?"  said  Peter  Schlemihl.  "  How 
strange  it  is!  God's  people,  the  Jews,  had  no  philoso- 
phy, and  it  was  their  highest  wisdom.f  God  said,  '  Let 
there  be  hght  and  light  was."     That  was  all  sufficient  for 

*  Sir  William  Hamilton  tells  us,  that  "  Philosophy  is  wholly  dependent  upon 
consciousness  :  the  possibility  of  the  former,  supposing  the  trustworthiness  of  the 
latter."  Again  he  says,  "  How  the  will  can  possibly  be  free,  must  remain  to  us, 
under  the  present  limitation  of  our  faculties,  wholly  incomprehensible."  How 
true  it  is  what  Paul  says  : — "  The  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God  " — and  the  last 
result  of  modern  times  has  reached  this  abysm. — If  there  be  truth  in  philosophy  it 
cannot  be  demonstrated  by  the  mind  of  man. 

+  "  Before  the  Babylonish  Captivity  the  Jews  had  no  philosophy  of  their  own,  and 
were  too  little  acquainted  with  foreign  nations  to  learn  the  philosophy  of  others. 
They  had  no  speculative  opinions  ;  they  formed  no  theories  concerning  the  origin 
and  nature  of  things  ;  that  is,  they  did  not  philosophize — they  did  not  reason  on 
things  in  heaven  or  things  on  the  earth  .  .  .  the  only  question  that  divided 
their  religious  sentiments  was,  whether  they  should  serve  God  according  to  the 
precepts  of  Moses,  or  Baal,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Canaanites." — Fathers 
of  the  Desert,  by  Ruffin,  vol.  i.  p.  157. 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHEK   WOKLD.  221 

them.  They  did  not  seek  to  chain  the  Ahnighty  to 
'  Laws  of  Nature.'  That  was  a  phrase  not  as  yet  forged 
out  by  philosophy,  falsely  so-called — a  mere  phrase,  hke 
gravitation,  which  when  examined  is  a  nullity,  means 
nothing  and  explains  nothing.*  And  here,  where  it  is 
our  highest  happiness  to  have  our  wills  one  with  God, 
what  need  have  we  thus  to  seek  to  find  out  God  to  per- 
fection. It  is  a  vain  search,  beyond  question,  for  mor- 
tal mind,  whether  on  earth  or  in  heaven."  f 

"  Not  so,  Mr.  Schlemihl,"  said  Faustinus.     "  To  say, 
*  Thy  will  be  done,'  is  the  joy  of  earth  and  heaven ;  but 


*  "  The  attraction  of  gravitation ^  the  weight  of  bodies,  these  are  but  forms  of 
words,  in  which  either  our  materialism  or  else  our  reverence,  leads  us  to  speak  of 
the  modes  of  action  in  the  Divine  Will.  It  is  no  figure  of  speech,  but  the  literal 
truth,  to  speali  of  Ilira  that  formed  the  Seven  Stars  and  Orion,  as  guiding  thera  on 
their  way.  Their  circling  orbits,  by  their  figure,  and  the  golden  orbs  themselves 
by  their  motion,  continually  manifest  His  guiding  hand." — Oeometry  and  Faiili, 
by  Thomas  Hill,  p.  27. 

Babbage,  "  On  the  great  law  which  regulates  matter,"  says  :  "  Ever  since  the 
period  when  Newton  established  the  great  law  of  gravity,  philosophers  have  occa- 
Bionally  speculated  on  the  existence  of  some  more  comprehensive  law,  of  which 
gravity  is  a  consequence.  Although  some  have  considered  it  in  vain  to  search  for 
a  more  general  law,  the  great  philosopher  himself  left  encouragement  to  future 
Inquirers  ;  and  the  time,  perhaps,  has  even  now  arrived,  when  such  a  discovery 
may  be  near  its  maturity.  .  .  .  Many  of  the  discoveries  of  the  present  day 
point  towards  some  more  general  law ;  and  many  philosophers  of  the  present 
lima  anticipate  its  near  approach." — P.  ISO. 

+  In  an  article  entitled  "  Philosophy,  Old  and  New,"  in  the  Eclectic  for  Novem- 
ber, 1857,  the  writer  says  :  "  Speculation  has  advanced  no  jot  since  Plato.  The 
most  bold,  sustained  and  daring  thinkers  of  the  world  have  soared  to  these 
heights,  and  found  an  infinite  beyond  them  ;  their  fall  has  proved  that  to  us  the 
absolute,  the  unconditioned,  the  infinite,  must  ever  remain  the  unknown." 


222  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

neither  in  earth  nor  heaven  has  the  Almighty  set  limits 
to  our  desire  for  knowledge.  We  know,  and  we  rejoice  it 
is  so,  that  all  the  streams  of  knowledge  and  ai't  find  their 
confluence  in  God — m  the  Absolute.  These  are  myste- 
ries '  the  angels  desire  to  look  mto,'  and  just  so  far  as  the 
Redeemed  of  earth  grow  in  knowledge  they  become 
more  and  more  hke  God — whose  sons  we  are  by  adoji- 
tion,  made  one  with  God,  even  as  Christ  and  God  are 
one !" 

"When  Faustinas  had  spoken  these  words,  they  all  rose 
as  by  one  unpulse,  and  sang  "  Gloria  in  excelsis."  After 
the  glow  of  love  and  enthusiasm,  mduced  by  these 
unspeakable  ideas  of  the  love  of  God,  had  subsided  and 
they  had  taken  their  seats,  Perpetua  resumed  the  dis- 
course, by  saying :  "  It  is  as  Faustinus  has  just  now  told 
us,  '  Divme  Philosophy '  is  the  highest  of  all  sciences, 
and  those  minds  devoted  to  the  study  of  the  Absolute  in 
God  wUl  see  most  of  his  glory — just  as  the  traveller  who 
climbs  the  highest  peaks  of  earth  has  the  widest  land- 
scape beneath  him." 

"I  am  sure  it. must  be  so,"  rephed  Laurens,  "and  Sir 
Isaac  Newton,  millions  of  cycles  of  ages  hence,  may 
repeat  with  a  pregnant  meaning  unknown  to  him  before, 
his  last  words  on  earth  :  '  I  have  but  picked  up  on  the 
shores  of  tune,  a  prettier  pebble  than  others,  while  the 
great  ocean  of  truth  lies  before  me  imtravei'sed  and  un- 
known.' " 

"  Yes,"  said  Perpetua,  "  an  ocean  whose  depths  are 


SCENES   IN  ANOTHER   WOELD.  223 

never  to  be  sounded,  but  whose  precious  pearls  enrich  all 
who  search  for  them." 

"  I  see  I  am  all  in  the  wrong,"  said  Peter,  "  and  it 'is 
my  misery  that  I  never  could  see  into  the  obscurities  of 
metaphysical  science." 

"And  I  say  'ditto'  to  Peter  Schlemihl,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  I  believe,  ladies,  women^  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mrs. 
Jay,"  said  Laurens,  correcting  himself,  "women  then, 
arc  pleased  to  consider  this  science  above  their  reach ; 
but  my  belief  is,  that  they  will  never  hold  their  proper 
places  in  the  world  until  they  shall  regard  this  as  the 
first  of  all  studies  to  be  attained  by  those  who  assume 
the  vast  responsibility  of  mothers." 

"  It  may  be  so,  Mr.  Laurens,"  replied  Mrs.  Jay.  "  All 
I  can  say  is,  I  am  glad  I  have  done  with  earth.  This 
world  of  art  is  much  more  to  my  taste  than  that  inha- 
bited by  metaphysicians,  and  so  I  will  stay  here." 

"  Let  us  brmg  this  colloquy  to  a  close,"  said  Perpetua; 
"  and  now,  Mr.  Laurens,  please  tell  us  how  did  the  dis- 
cussion end.  Was  it  confined  to  the  objectivity  of  the 
Absolute  ?" 

Mr.  Laurens  replied :  "  No,  it  was  not.  Toward  the 
close  of  the  session  the  question  slid  away  into  the  possi- 
biUty  of  laying  down  a  theoretic  basis  for  the  history  of 
relig'on,  in  the  necessary  mb  'e  of  the  Divine  Being  and 
Manifestation — God,  Man  and  Humanity — th  Triad  of 
the  Infinite  in  the  process  of  realization  in  time.*     Such 

*  Ed.  Rev.  May,  18D3,  art.  Wppolytua. 


224  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

a  basis  was  regarded  impossible  while  as  yet  the  drama 
of  hmnan  life  was  in  process  of  elimination.  It  was  held 
as  an  unquestioned  verity  that  there  was  such  a  philoso- 
phy of  religion,  but  to  assume  a  basis  now,  would  de- 
grade history  from  its  scientific  position.  It  was  to  be 
regarded  in  time  as  a  collection  of  facts,  out  of  which  in 
a  future  age  the  divine  science  imbedded  in  history 
would  be  made  plain  to  the  admiring  gaze  of  the  Church 
of  God ;  when  every  individual  would  see  for  himself  his 
relations  to  the  world's  history,  and  a  solution  for  every 
complication  of  his  Hfe." 

Mrs.  Jay  drew  a  long  breath,  and  with  a  puff  of  ex- 
piration, said:  "  For  one  I  can  say  'I  will  wait.'  I  cer- 
tainly shall  not  now,  nor  ever,  seek  to  arrange  all  that 
has  happened  to  me  and  mine  into  a  perfect  circle. 
When  on  earth  I  quieted  myself  as  a  weaned  child 
while  under  discipline,  by  saying,  '  It  is  all  as  God  wills 
it,  and  let  his  will  be  mine ;'  and  now  I  am  here,  re- 
deemed and  disenthralled,  I  would  as  soon  dive  down  into 
the  ocean  for  pearls  as  sink  into  such  an  abyss  as  this. 
That  is  what  I  have  to  say,  Perpetua." 

Perpetua  replied  with  a  sweet  smile,  "  You  are  but  a 
child  in  the  divine  life.  Eternity  is  all  before  you,  and 
you  will  not  lack  of  docility  in  this  life  when  you  suc- 
ceeded so  well  in  your  life  on  earth." 

"  I  was  all  wi'ong  in  saying  I  was  docile  in  the  pilgrim- 
age of  earth.  No,  I  was  restless  and  imhappy  to  be  the 
subject  of  trials  of  any  sort ;    and  I  am  disappointed 


SCENES   IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  225 

now,  that  tliere  is  no  king's  highway  to  geometry  and 
all  science.  But  I  see  Ave  have  here  to  creep  before  we 
go.  Facts  are  to  be  collected  and  laid  together  like 
pieces  of  a  dissected  map,  and  when  all  is  done,  then  we 
are  to  set  our  wits  at  work  to  come  to  a  proper  conclu- 
sion of  all  that  lies  before  us.  Instead  of  this,  I  had 
hoped  we  should  have  reached  certainties  by  infallible 
uituitions,  and  by  a  volition  have  attained  the  ultimates 
of  truth." 

Perpetua  rose  and  the  company  followed. 

"  Before  we  leave  this  arbor,"  said  Perpetua,  address- 
ing Mrs.  Jay,  "  I  wish  to  say  to  you,  my  sister,  that  you 
have  made  a  mistake  common  to  most  minds,  who  make 
the  goal  of  their  philosophy  the  spot  where  tliey  become 
weary  of  thinking.  The  science  of  the  soul  lies  at  the 
base  of  all  knowledge.  All  religion  reposes  upon  the 
idea  of  God.  "Without  this  idea,  revelation  itself  has  no 
weight.  The  idea  of  a  God  must  first  be  attained.  But 
who  is  God  ?  and  where  are  the  evidences  of  his  exist- 
ence ?  This  must  be  settled  before  the  Scriptures  can 
be  received  as  authority;  and  when  once  this  inquiry 
is  started,  it  cannot  be  settled  without  deep  inward 
reflection  upon  nature,  and  upon  man  as  its  interpre- 
ter." * 

"That  being  so,  dear  Perpetua,"   replied   Mrs.  Jay 

♦  Morell's  "  Modern  Philosophy,"  p.  83. 

10* 


226  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

smiling,  "  I  am  glad  I  never  started  upon  tlie  search.  I 
was  content  with  the  open  Bible,  and  my  own  conscious- 
ness that  it  was  the  Word  of  God." 

"  The  chimes  are  calling  us  to  the  great  temple,"  said 
Perpetua,  as  the  silver  tones  came  floating  on  the  air. 
"  Let  us  all  go  and  hear  Beethoven's  new  composition. 
The  words  selected  by  him  form  the  anthem  of  the 
Redeemed  in  the  Apocaljq^se,  '  Blessing  and  honor,  and 
glory  and  power  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  imto  the  Lamb  forever  and  ever,  Amen.'  The  theme 
is  worthy  the  capacities  of  an  archangel,  and  I  am  sure 
we  shall  soar  as  on  eagle's  wings,  uplifted  by  the  noble 
and  sanctified  genius  of  Beethoven — 

'  Untwisting  all  the  chains  that  tie, 
The  hidden  soul  of  harmony.'  " 

With  one  consent  they  now  hastened  to  the  temple,  and 
soon  joined  the  moving  masses  coming  up  from  all  direc- 
tions to  the  first  performance  of  this  new  labor  of  love 
by  a  great  master.  It  was  one  of  the  inducements 
offered  to  those  residing  at  a  distance  to  make  a  visit  to 
the  palace  at  this  time.  The  great  temjDle  was  soon 
filled  to  overflowang,  and  as  the  performers  came  in,  the 
score  of  the  new  anthem  was  handed  to  them.  It  was  a 
lovely  sight  to  see  an  orchestra  crowded  with  talent, 
who  sung  and  played  at  sight  "with  true  and  entire 
appreciation  of  the  genius  of  the  author.     As  they  took 


SCENES    m   ANOTHEK   WORLD.  227 

their  several  seats,  tliey  ran  over  the  sheets  in  eager 
delight,  pointing  out  to  each  other  some  beautiful  sur- 
prise of  a  master  mind  ■\vhich  had  met  the  eye. 

"Look  at  St.  Cecilia!"  said  Laurens  to  his  party. 
"  Was  ever  such  beauty  and  sweetness  combined  in  one 
person  before  ?" 

This  lovely  saint  on  entering  had  taken  her  violon- 
cello, and  with  her  arm  lovingly  embracing  her  instru- 
ment, leaning  forward,  she  turned  over  the  leaves  of 
the  libretto  placed  on  the  music-stand,  her  eyes  beaming 
with  delight. 

Beethoven  now  entered,  baton  in  hand,  to  lead  the 
performance.  He  made  his  way  slowly  through  the 
crowd  of  the  orchestra  and  choir,  for  all  sought  to 
detam  him,  and  congratulate  him  on  his  S2)lendid  suc- 
cess. And  when  passing  St.  Cecilia,  she,  too,  detained 
him  awhile ;  and  turning  over  the  leaves,  she  was  evi- 
dently telling  him  of  her  approval  and  admiration  of  his 
work. 

All  was  hushed  expectation  when  Beethoven  ascended 
the  pedestal.  Every  eye  was  fixed  upon  him,  the  lips 
of  those  who  sang  were  half  unclosed,  and  their  chests 
swollen  with  a  deep  inspiration  earnest  for  the  signal.  It 
was  given,  and  a  volume  of  harmony  rose  which  took 
with  it  all  souls  to  heaven.  The  attention  of  both  per- 
formers and  audience  Avas  so  absorbed,  that  when  the 
last  note  died  away,  they  woke  as  as  from  a  blissful 
dream. 


228  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 


-"  The  song 


Of  heaven  is  ever  new  ;  for  daily,  thus, 

And  nightly,  new  discoveries  are  made 

Of  God's  unbounded  wisdom,  power  and  love, 

Which  give  the  understanding  larger  room, 

And  swell  the  hymn  with  ever-growing  praise."* 

•  PoLLOK. 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WOELD.  229 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Story  of  Angela,  the  Nun— Mishael,  the  Guardian  of  Angela,  leads  her 
to  the  Temple  of  the  Winds,  where  Perpetua  and  our  Friends  were  seated— 
Her  Appearance  described— While  Perpetua  takes  her  on  a  Walk  in  the  Gar- 
dens, Mishael,  at  the  request  of  Calliste,  tells  the  Story  of  her  Life — Angela 
having  completed  her  Education  at  Home,  is  taken  by  her  Mother  to  Paris, 
where  she  returns  the  Love  of  a  young  Nobleman— Her  Mother  gives  her 
Approval;  and  while  Count  Gratz  is  on  a  Visit  to  Vienna,  she  breaks  up  her 
Home  in  Paris,  and  returns  with  Angela — The  Count,  in  his  Despair,  takes  the 
Vow  of  Celibacy  and  becomes  a  Priest — He  writes  her  a  Letter,  which  she 
receives  at  Home,  praying  her  to  become  a  Nun— Angela  takes  the  Veil— Her 
Decline  and  Death. 

Leaving  the  temple  in  company,  Perpetua,  Faustinus, 
Calliste  and  our  friends,  walked  together  till  they 
reached  Perpetua's  favorite  place  of  resort,  a  minia- 
ture Temple  of  the  Winds,  where  they  took  seats  and 
enjoyed  the  wdde  landscape ;  for  the  view  opened  on  the 
lake,  and  in  the  distance  glittering  glaciers  rose  high 
into  the  air.  It  was  a  scene  of  singular  beauty.  In 
the  grounds  around  them,  the  highest  forms  of  art  Avere 
seen,  and  far-oflf  temples  covered  every  island  and  every 
headland  of  the  lake  shore. 

Seating  themselves,  Calliste  chanced  to  make  a  remark 


230  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

as  to  tlie  sources  of  the  sublime  and  beautiful,  wliicb  was 
replied  to  by  St.  Perpetua.  It  was  something  wonder- 
ful, thus  to  hear  Perpetua,  who  had  lived  so  long  in  the 
world  of  Art,  give  an  analysis  of  the  laws  which  make 
one  object  more  lovely  than  another.  They  were  all 
absorbed  as  Perpetua  proceeded  to  show  that  while 
Beauty,  like  its  Author,  was  infinite,  yet  there  were 
fixed  laws  of  its  manifestation.  These  laws  were  re- 
vealed to  those  great  minds,  who  in  sublune  intercourse 
caught  the  inspiration  of  God  and  realized  such  lofty 
conceptions,  imperfectly  and  j^artially,  in  their  produc- 
tions of  the  chisel  and  the  pencil.  And  thus  it  was, 
that  Art  was  forever  revealing  more  and  more  of  God 
to  created  mtelligences  of  all  worlds. 

They  had  closed  this  topic,  when  an  angel  approached 
leading  a  lovely  girl,  whose  timid  downcast  look  bespoke 
her  a  newcomer  from  earth.  Perj^etua,  recognizing  the 
angel,  rose  hastily ;  and  in  glad  tones  welcomed  him  as 
Mishael,  once  her  own  guardian  angel,  and  begged  to  be 
introduced  to  his  last  charge.*  The  young  girl  stood  at 
the  foot  of  the  steps,  her  hands  folded  across  her  bosom 
and  with  her  eyes  downcast  as  Perpetua  approached  her 
with  hands  extended.  On  hearing  Mishael  say,  "This, 
Angela,  is  your  own  St.  Perpetua,"  she  sank  at  her  feet 
and  made  a  profound  obeisance,  while  in  a  whisj)ering 
tone  she  sought  her  blessing.     Perpetua  gently  lifted 

*  St.  Jerome  says :   "  Nothing  gives  us   a  greater  idea   of  our  soul,  than  that 
Ooi  has  given  us,  at  the  moment  of  our  birth,  an  angel  to  take  care  of  it." 


SCENES   m   ANOTHER   WORLD.  231 

hor  up  and  kissing  lier  on  her  forehead,  drew  her  close 
to  her  side ;  thus  assurmg  tlus  timid  child  of  heaven  of 
iier  love  and  sympathy. 

"  You  have,  doubtless,  just  reached  our  world,"  said 
Perpetua. 

In  a  tone  of  voice  just  audible,  the  giii  answered: 
"  1  have  this  moment  alighted  with  my  angel." 

The  young  lady  was  next  led  up  into  the  temple  and 
duly  presented  by  Perpetua  to  her  circle,  as  was  also 
Mishael.  There  was  something  in  the  air  and  manner 
of  this  young  saint,  so  much  like  that  worn  by  recluses, 
that  Mrs.  Jay  asked  her  if  she  had  been  a  nun  ? 

To  this,  Angela  answered,  much  to  the  surprise  of  that 
lady,  decisively:  '•'■  I ain  a  nun!" 

Perpetua  said  to  Mishael :  "  I  am  about  to  take  charge 
of  your  friend  for  a  little  while,  and  I  leave  you  to  sup- 
ply my  place.  Come,  Angela,  and  walk  with  me  in  the 
gardens." 

The  nun  rose  with  that  air  of  submissiveness  which  is 
so  strongly  marked  upon  the  religious  orders  of  the 
Roman  church ;  and  Perpetua,  with  her  arm  around  the 
waist  of  the  nun,  led  her  away. 

"Will  you,  good  Mishael,  tell  us  the  history  of  this 
sweet  saint  ?  She  has  evidently  come  to  us  through  the 
gratings  of  a  convent,"  said  Peter. 

"  Pray,  Mishael,  first  tell  us,  how  could  it  be  that  she 
should  have  made  such  a  worshipping  obeisance  to  Pei*- 


232  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

pctua  in  this  world  of  perfect  equality  among  the  Re- 
deemed ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"I  will  explain,"  rejilied  the  angel.  "St.  Perpetua 
was  selected  by  Angela  for  her  patron  saint.  And  on 
reaching  the  Holy  City,  I  made  inquiry  for  Perpetua; 
and  learning  she  was  here,  I  sent  her  word  of  my  com- 
ing, and  that  I  needed  her  aid  to  induce  my  Angela, 
without  violence,  to  give  up  her  idols  of  the  mind,  the 
results  of  her  education,  and  thus  to  introduce  her  uito 
the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  The  soul 
grows  into  use  of  its  powers ;  like  the  eyes  of  the  blind, 
when  cleared  of  a  cataract,  it  must  become  accustomed 
to  the  open  vision  of  Avorlds  of  light." 

Calliste  now  spoke  and  begged  Mishael,  Mobile  Per- 
petua was  away  with  Angela,  to  tell  them  her  story. 

"With  all  pleasure,"  he  replied.  "Angela  is  "the 
eldest  of  three  daughters.  Her  father,  Mr.  S.  W.  Jones, 
is  a  man  of  large  fortune  and  eminent  for  his  professional 
skill.  He  married  a  yoimg  lady  whose  misfortime  it  was 
to  be  a  belle  and  an  heiress ;  one  whose  education  was 
all  of  the  head  and  nothing  of  the  heart.  It  was  a  vmion 
of  fortunes  and  not  of  affections.  Their  children  were 
brought  up  by  nurses  in  infancy,  and  by  teachers  of 
fashionable  schools  during  the  important  years  of  child- 
hood. The  father  was  necessarily  occuined  by  important 
pm'suits,  and  the  mother  thus  rid  herself  of  her  children, 
whom  she  regarded  as  dead  weights  upon  her  pleasures, 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  233 

and  whom  she  cared  not  to  see  about  her  until  they 
were  ready  to  take  their  places  in  society,  and  add  to 
the  attractions  of  her  parlors.  The  season  was  approach- 
ing when  Angela  would  be  ready  to  make  her  dcbut^ 
when  her  mother  became  suddenly  deeply  impressed 
with  the  necessity  of  takmg  her  daughter  to  Paris ;  for 
she  was  shocked  to  find  Angela  was  wanting  in  a  perfect 
pronunciation  of  French.  The  secret  of  all  her  solici- 
tude was  an  earnest  desire  to  reside  awhile  in  Paris. 
Her  husband  was  made  to  see  that  this  absence  from 
home  was  a  first  necessity,  and  he  at  last  consented  to 
be  left  behind. 

"  On  reaching  Paris,  Mr.  Jones's  banker  soon  placed 
Mrs.  Jones  in  a  hotel  of  her  own,  with  aU  the  splendid 
appliances  which  money  can  buy  in  that  great  city.  Mas- 
ters were  called  in,  of  course,  for  the  young  ladies, 
who  really  had  little  to  learn  as  to  the  true  pronun- 
ciation of  the  French  language;  for  they  had  had  in 
their  school,  as  one  of  their  teachers,  a  Parisian  lady 
of  eminent  attaimnents  in  her  native  language  and  litera- 
ture. 

"  Angela  now  became  her  mother's  companion  in  her 
rides,  her  morning  visits ;  and  her  evening  parties.  The 
lavish  expenditures  of  Mrs.  Jones  made  her  saloons 
attractive.  Among  the  crowd  of  elegant  society  into 
M'hich  she  was  introduced,  and  who  made  one  of  her 
visiting  acquaintance,  was  Count  Gratz,  an  attache  of 
the  Austiian  embassy  in  Paris,  who  in  due  time  became 


234  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

the  familiar  friend  of  Madame  and  tbe  sliadow  of  my 
charge. 

"  Count  Gratz  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-three.  His 
family  was  as  ancient  as  that  of  the  Pucklers  to  whom  he 
was  allied,  and  which  for  eight  centuries  had  preserved 
the  purity  of  its  blood  free  from  all  admixture.  The- 
count  was  a  yoimger  son  of  slender  means,  for  the  family 
had,  with  many  others,  been  impoverished  by  the  armies 
of  Napoleon.  He  was  a  Catholic,  or  to  sj)eak  strictly,  a 
Romanist,  and  earnestly  attached  to  his  church.  When 
first  introduced  to  Angela,  he  was  attracted  by  her 
beautiful  truthfulness  and  simplicity,  so  strikingly  in  con- 
trast with  the  artificial  and  brilliant  manners  of  French 
society.  He  made  the  discovery,  and  a  painful  one  it 
was,  that  she  was  no  Catholic.  Without  design  he 
undertook  to  labor  for  her  conversion.  That  was  aU.  It 
was  so  pitiful  to  see  one  so  lovely,  so  good  and  pure,  out 
of  the  pale  of  the  only  true  church  !  Had  the  idea  been 
presented  to  him  then,  that  he  would  have  been  tempted 
to  ally  his  name  with  that  of  Angela's,  he  would  have 
left  Paris  and  its  fascinations  the  next  morning.  It  did 
not.  Unconsciously  to  himself  his  own  affections  were 
enlisted,  and  he  had  enlisted  the  affections  of  Angela. 
At  balls,  or  at  the  opera,  or  at  parties,  the  count  and 
Angela  would  fall  into  long  talks,  and  become  oblivious 
of  all  about  them.  Madame  Jones  did  not  see  it ;  for  she 
was  herself  too  entirely  occupied  by  the  whispering 
attentions  of  Baron  Grimme,  the  friend  of  Count  Gratz, 


SCENES   m    ANOTHER   WORLD.  235 

a  man  of  high  rank  and  devoted  to  the  admiration  of 
women,  who  gave  good  dinners,  and  hot  suppers  after 
returning  from  the  opera.  The  young  friends  of  the 
count  gave  him  credit  for  the  same  high  appreciation  of 
the  elegances  of  the  mother's  hotel.  Now,  I  know  that 
the  chief  topic  of  all  these  long  conversations  was  all 
about  the  mysteries  of  the  Romish  church.  It  was 
delightful  to  Angela  to  be  told  by  the  comit  that  she 
had  a  soul  to  be  saved.  She  had  a  vague  idea  of 
this  sort,  as  most  young  ladies  have,. but  it  never  was 
realized  by  her  before,  and  she  became  anxious  that  his 
wishes  should  be  gratified.  It  was  not  long  before  the 
count  expressed  a  wish  that  she  should  go  to  confession 
as  a  first  step  towards  obtaining  the  grace  of  a  true 
faith.  Changmg  her  religion  was  to  Angela  no  great 
gulf  to  be  crossed  on  the  edge  of  a  sword.  The  count 
made  no  such  a  request  as  that  she  should  become  a 
Catholic,  but  simply  expressed  a  wish  that  she  should 
see  an  eminent  minister  whose  church  was  near  their 
hotel.  To  this  confessor  Angela  was  duly  presented, 
and  while  the  count  was  saying  his  prayers  before  the 
high  altar  for  the  conversion  of  Angela  she  was  making 
her  first  confession.  Thus  it  was  that  these  young  hearts 
were  being  united  m  the  bonds  of  love,  by  a  sweet  and 
tender  union  of  their  sympathies  in  the  great  matter  of 
the  soul's  salvation.  The  count  now  became  solicitous 
that  Angela  should  receive  the  sacrament  of  communion 
from  her    confesisor,   Father   Joseph,   in    the    Catholic 


236  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OK, 

church.  To  this  she  deferred  compliance  unless  the 
count  would  allow  her  to  ask  the  consent  of  her  mother. 

"  The  count,  who  perfectly  understood  the  character  of 
the  mother,  entreated  Angela  to  take  counsel  of  her  own 
conscience.  It  was  always  sweet  to  Angela  thus  to  hear 
the  count's  earnest  persuasions  for  her  to  become  a  true 
Catholic ;  for  with  a  woman's  intuitions  she  saw  in  this 
the  depth  of  his  love.  She  could  not  be  made  to  see 
that  there  was  no  salvation  out  of  the  pale  of  the  Roman 
church  ;  but  then  she  was  sure  of  being  saved  in  it, 
especially  when  she  had  one  so  pious  as  her  confessor, 
and  more  than  all,  the  count  to  aid  her  in  her  faith. 

"  There  was  something  clandestine  to  Angela  in  joining 
the  church  without  the  consent  of  her  mother,  and  she 
told  the  count  that  she  must  teU  her  mother  of  her  pur- 
pose. Seeing  the  mind  of  Angela  resolute,  he  asked 
her  permission  to  see  her  mother,  and  having  declared 
his  wishes  to  obtain  her  sanction  to  his  love  for  her 
daughter.  This  had  been  for  weeks  the  purpose  of 
Coimt  Gratz.  He  had  long  since  made  the  discovery  of 
his  love  to  Angela,  and  his  heart  had  been  brought  to 
look  upon  an  alliance  at  first  as  a  matter  possible,  next, 
as  probable,  and  last  of  all,  desirable ;  but  he  felt  a  deep 
repugnance  to  this  mterview. 

"During  this  tete-a-tete  with  Angela,  the  count  was 
greatly  moved.  Asking  all  she  did  of  a  lover,  Angela 
was  for  the  first  time  content.  The  depths  of  the 
count's  soul  were  broken  up.     There  was  now  no  longer 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WOELD.  237 

a  withholding,  a  reserve  which  she  had  felt  in  former 
interviews  with  him.  She  was  siare  that  her  love  to  him 
was  what  his  love  was  to  her — dearer  than  life  itself.  His 
soul  was  full  of  forebodings  of  the  consequences  which 
would  follow  his  avowal  to  the  mother,  but  Angela 
dehghted  herself  in  dispelling  these  doubts;  assuring 
him  that  her  mother  would  do  everything  to  promote 
his  wishes.  But  all  in  vain ;  the  dark  shadows  still 
rested  on  the  soul  of  Count  Gratz.  It  seemed  as  if  he 
beheved  Angela  would  be  spirited  away  from  him,  and 
that  this  was  their  last  meeting.  My  sweet  charge  wept, 
but  her  tears  Avere  those  of  joy,  mingled  with  sympathiz- 
insf  sorrow — fjlad  to  be  so  loved ! 

"  The  next  day  the  count  made  his  avoAval  of  love  for 
Angela  in  his  morning  visit  to  Mrs.  Jones.  She  was 
surprised,  but  listened  to  all  he  had  to  say  with  the  utmost 
courtesy.  lie  told  her  of  his  fxmily,  his  fortune  and  his 
purposes.  Mrs.  Jones  took  not  the  slightest  exception 
to  his  honest  avowal  that  he  was  not  wealthy,  and  ex- 
pressed her  high  sense  of  the  honor  he  had  conferred 
upon  herself  and  family.  She  said  it  was  proper  before 
any  engagement  Avas  announced,  or  even  understood 
between  Angela  and  himself,  that  Mr.  Jones  should  be 
consulted.  That  she  would  take  the  earliest  opportunity 
to  do  so. 

"  The  count  had  every  reason  to  be  satisfied  so  far  as 
words  went ;  but  he  read  duplicity  beneath  the  mask 
worn  by  Mrs.  Jones,  and  left  her  presence  with  many 


238  THE  GATES   WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 

painful  surmises  that  his  fears  on  the  last  evening  would 
become  livmg  realities. 

"  The  week  that  followed  was  marked  by  no  change  in 
the  manners  of  Mrs.  Jones  towards  the  count.  No 
change  was  made  in  the  social  life  of  the  family,  and  yet 
Mrs.  Jones  was  all  the  while  making  arrangements  for 
her  dej^arture.  In  order  to  relieve  herself  from  the  pre- 
sence of  her  daughters,  she  accepted  an  invitation  of 
some  friends  to  take  them  on  a  visit  to  the  ancient  city 
of  Tours.  Angela  was  glad  to  go,  for  the  count  had 
gone  at  his  own  request  with  important  dispatches  to 
Vienna.  He  told  Angela  privately  that  his  object  was 
to  communicate  his  plans  to  his  family. 

"  Angela  and  her  sisters  were  recalled  after  a  week's 
absence  by  a  letter  from  their  mother,  saying  it  was  of 
the  first  importance  that  they  should  be  in  Paris  on  a 
given  day,  and  that  she  wished  them  to  return  on  the 
day  previous.  They  did  so,  and  found  their  trunks 
packed  and  sent  to  Havre  under  the  care  of  one  of  their 
servants,  and  that  they  were  to  go  in  the  steamer  sailing 
the  day  following.  Angela's  first  thought  was  to  seek  out 
Father  Joseph,  her  confessor,  and  tell  him  of  her  griefs. 
This  she  did  without  stint.  He  sought  to  discover  the 
motive  for  the  sudden  departure  of  her  mother  ;  but 
Angela  could  tell  him  nothing.  He  exhorted  her  to  con- 
tinue tnie  to  the  Church  of  God,  and  she  entreated  him 
to  tell  the  comit  of  all  her  grief  at  being  separated  from 
him. 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WOKLD.  239 

"  On  returning  to  the  hotel  she  sat  up  till  near  day- 
break writing  a  letter  to  the  count.  It  was  often  begun 
and  often  destroyed,  until  at  last  she  grew  desperate, 
and  wrote  out  of  the  fullness  of  her  soul  all  her  love  and 
all  her  Avretchedness.  This  letter  she  carefully  sealed, 
and  then  lay  down  to  weep  herself  asleep.  The  next 
day  her  mother  was  early  with  her,  and  when  Angela 
gave  her  letter  to  a  servant  to  give  it  to  Connt  Gratz  on 
his  return,  she  was  not  inattentive.  Sending  Angela  up 
stairs  on  an  errand,  she  sent  for  the  man  and  told  him 
her  daughter  had  requested  the  letter  to  be  given  to  her. 
On  receiving  the  letter  she  read  it  attentively,  and  then 
destroyed  it,  and  thought  she  had  acted  both  wisely  and 
well. 

"  The  count,  on  returning  to  Paris,  hastened  to  call  on 
Mrs.  Jones,  and  foimd  the  hotel  already  occupied  by 
new  tenants.  His  proud  soul  told  him  he  was  the  cause 
of  this  sudden  return  to  America.  A  letter  from  Mrs. 
Jones  was  placed  in  his  hands  the  day  following,  by  her 
banker,  in  which  she  said,  ha\dng  reviewed  all  the 
embarrassments  attending  the  union  of  Angela  Avith  a 
foreign  nobleman,  whose  fortunes  were  to  be  made,  and 
whose  home  must  be  in  Euroj^e,  thus  separating  Angela 
from  her  fither  and  family,  she  had  concluded  it  best  for 
both  parties  to  take  Angela  home.  She  beheved  the  count 
would  be  grateful  to  her  for  saving  him  from  an  alliance 
which  could  not  but  mar  liis  fortunes.  This  letter 
wounded  him  Jto  the  quick,  for  he  had  commmiicated  hia 


240  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

plans  to  his  father  and  mother,  and  they  had  with  the 
greatest  reluctance  consented  to  such  an  alliance ;  for  they 
had  said  to  him  that  they  felt  it  to  be  the  first  blot  on 
the  fiimily  records.  And  now  to  be  discarded  by  such  a 
woman  as  Mrs.  Jones,  made  his  blood  hot  with  rage. 
In  such  a  state  of  mind.  Father  Joseph  called  upon  him, 
and  told  him  all  he  had  to  say  of  the  grief  and  love  of 
Angela.  It  was  pleasant  to  know  that  this  sweet  girl 
was  true  in  her  devotion  to  him.  He  did  not  doubt  it, 
and  it  was  oil  upon  his  troubled  spirits  to  receive  this 
assurance  from  Father  Joseph,  who  bore  with  exemplary 
patience  his  oft  repeated  cross-examinations,  until  every 
look  had  been  recalled  and  described. 

"  And  now  was  instantly  developed  a  desire  long  re- 
pressed, to  devote  his  life  to  God  by  becoming  a  monk. 
To  this  he  had  been  devoted  by  his  mother  at  his  birth  ; 
but  the  boy  was  ambitious  of  honors,  and  his  father  hav- 
ing secured  him  a  place  at  court,  she  was  compelled  to 
sacrifice  her  hopes.  These  had  been  fostered  by  splen- 
did promises  made  to  her  by  a  brother  who  stood  high 
at  Rome,  as  one  of  the  cardmals  and  ministers  of  the 
pope.  The  count  determined  never  to  cross  the  Atlan- 
tic in  search  of  Angela.  He  believed  the  husband  and 
the  wife  must  be  alike  incapable  of  appreciating  the 
honor  he  had,  by  the  force  of  love,  been  made  wiUiug 
to  confer  upon  them  by  an  alliance  with  their  child. 
There  was  the  end  of  all  hopes  of  happiness  on  earth, 
and  now  he   would   devote   himself   to   God   and  the 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHEK    WOKLD.  241 

church.  Resigniug  his  position  in  the  embassy,  he 
liastened  to  Rome  and  was  received  mth  open  arms 
by  his  uncle,  the  cardinal.  He  told  him  of  his  purpose 
to  be  a  priest,  and  of  his  desire  to  be  a  missionary 
among  the  Indians  of  Paraguay.  The  cardinal  was 
delighted.  He  was  content  that  his  nephew  should 
devote  some  years  as  a  missionary.  It  would  give 
him  reputation  at  Rome.  He  would  be  able  to  put  him 
in  proper  training,  and  to  recall  him  at  the  proper  time, 
to  succeed  him  in  his  honors  and  office  at  Rome.  He 
saw  that  some  great  disappomtment  had  come  over  his 
handsome  relative,  doubtless  a  love  affair ;  but  as  the 
count  was  silent,  he  made  no  inquiries.  Indeed,  he 
needed  no  such  aid ;  for  sending  to  one  of  his  friends  in 
Paris,  at  the  end  of  a  month,  he  knew  all  that  Father 
Joseph  could  tell,  concerning  his  love  for  and  loss  of 
Angela. 

"  The  cardinal  delayed  the  consecration  of  the  count, 
so  that  he  should  become  acquainted  with  the  pope  and 
the  conclave.  He  was  much  admired  by  the  ladies  of 
Rome,  who  thought  it  a  great  loss  to  society  that  so 
young  and  handsome  a  person  as  the  count,  should  go 
on  a  mission  to  the  miserable  Indians  of  South  America. 
It  added  greatly  to  the  sensation  produced  by  the 
count,  that  he  could  not  be  persuaded  to  give  up  his 
purpose  of  devoting  his  whole  life  to  the  conversion  of 
naked  Indians. 

"  Count  Gratz  was  much  caressed  by  his  holiness  the 
11 


242  THE  GATES   WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 

IDope  and  liis  cardiBals,  and  by  the  gay  circles  of  Rome. 
Had  he  been  permitted  to  do  so,  he  would  probably 
have  given  up  his  mission  to  St.  Ignacio,  on  the  Rio  de 
la  Plata.  But  this  Avas  not  the  wish  of  the  cardinal. 
The  count,  therefore,  laid  aside  his  title  and  became 
Father  Ernest;  and  with  every  possible  care  of  his 
future  wants,  and  in  company  with  a  learned  monk, 
belonging  to  the  cardinal's  own  household,  whom  he 
detailed  to  be  the  companion  of  his  nephew — but  who 
was  in  fact  to  become  his  instructor  in  theology — the 
count  left  home  for  Paris.  While  in  Paris,  he  gave  in 
charge  to  Father  Joseph,  a  packet  for  Angela  which 
he  had  prepared  and  sealed  the  day  previous  to  his 
consecration  as  a  priest.  After  a  short  stay,  he  left  for 
Havre,  and  sailed  for  Buenos  Ayres. 

"  On  reaching  St.  Ignacio,  Father  Ernest  found  himself 
among  an  ignorant  race  of  mixed  breeds,  whose  lan- 
guage he  could  not  speak,  and  which  it  was  his  first 
business  to  learn ;  and  there  he  is  now  at  work,  nomi- 
nally laboring  for  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  of  Para- 
guay; but  really  readiug  the  great  Latin  fathers,  and 
writing  sermons  under  the  guidance  of  Father  Am- 
brose." 

"  And  how  are  the  plans  of  the  cardinal  to  be  accom- 
plished?" asked  Calliste. 

"  I  was  once  in  the  cabinet  of  the  cardinal  when  he 
was  talkmg  over  his  plans  with  Father  Ambrose,  whom 
he  had  enlisted  by  promises  of  preferment  in  the  churcli. 


SCENES   IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  243 

He  expressed  the  hope  that  Father  Ambrose  would 
make  his  nephew  a  respectable  theologian  in  three  to 
five  years ;  and  so  soon  as  the  young  father  could  do 
himself  honor,  of  which  Ambrose  was  to  advise  him,  he 
would  procure  an  autograph  letter  from  the  pope  to 
Ernest,  requesting  him  to  prepare  a  series  of  sermons  for 
Lent,  to  be  preached  in  the  church  of  St.  Giovanni,  in 
Rome.  The  composition  of  these  discourses  would 
require  him  to  call  up  the  audience  to  whom  his  sermons 
were  to  be  read,  and  Father  Ambrose  was  to  tell  hun, 
that  should  they  be  approved,  he  would  be  sent  for  to 
preach  them.  This  exercise  the  cardhial  believed  would 
naturally  revive  in  his  nephew  all. his  love  of  elegant 
society ;  and  his  zeal  in  the  conversion  of  Indians  having 
long  since  been  obliterated  by  the  hopelessness  of 
doing  any  good,  he  would  rejoice  to  be  once  more 
in  Rome.  As  his  recall  would  be  by  command  of  the 
pope,  Ernest  would  find  himself  regarded  as  a  martyr 
missionary ;  and  as  such  would  hold  a  high  rank  among 
the  pietists  of  the  church  everywhere,  and  by  the  time 
he  was  forty  he  would  certainly  be  a  bishop.  All  which 
seems  to  me  probable." 

"  What  wonderful  skill  these  wily  cardinals  have  of 
making  men  automatons !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  They  certainly  have,"  replied  Mishael.  "  Some  of 
their  great  works,  showmg  all  the  ways  of  operation  upon 
the  minds  of  men  and  women,  and  which  are  studied  by 
the  students  of  Jesuit  seminaries,  are  never  to  be  printed, 


244  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

but  are  multiplied  in  manuscripts.  It  would  produce  a 
world-wide  sensation  should  they  ever  be  made  pub- 
lic." * 

"Will  you  please  continue  your  narrative  of  dear 
Angela,"  said  Calliste. 

"  Oh,  do  not  leave  off  with  the  count  until  you  tell  us 
whether  he  still  loves  Angela,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

Mishael  bowed  to  Mrs.  Jay,  and  went  on  thus  :  "  As  a 
priest  he  has  taken  the  vow  of  celibacy,  though  he. 
hourly  thinks  of  Angela,  in  his  prayers  for  her  conver- 
sion. Surrounded  as  he  is  with  miserable  native  women, 
Angela  shines  in  his  memory  with  the  brilliancy  of  the 
evening  star.  How.  it  will  be  when  he  shall  return  to 
Italy,  and  is  again  surrounded  with  lovely  ladies,  and 
treated  with  all  that  charming  confidence  bestowed  by 
them  upon  monsignori  of  Rome,  I  cannot  say ;  but  I 
have  many  fears  he  will  forget  his  first  love,  and,  it  may 
be,  make  shipwreck  of  his  soul." 

"  And  will  she  be  living  on  in  this  bright  world  hoping 
for  a  reunion  of  souls  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay.  "  Please 
inform   me   and   these   friends   of  mine,"   pointing   to 

*  Will  the  reader  ponder  and  weigh  well  the  testimony  of  the  great  French  his- 
torian, Michelet,  who  says  :  "  The  manuscript  books  which  form  the  course  of  a 
student  of  theology,  contain  matter  the  boldest  have  never  dared  publish." 
Speaking  of  those  that  are  printed,  he  says  :  "  They  furnish  a  set  of  questions  by 
which  a  confessor  can  search  a  woman's  inmost  thoughts,  compel  her  to  sift  her 
own  secrets,  to  give  them  up  entire,  to  open  her  heart  fibre  by  fibre,  thread  by 
thread,  so  to  speak,  unravel  before  him,  the  whole  skein,  which  he,  thenceforward, 
holds  in  his  own  hands." — Michelet  :  Priest,  Women  cund  Families,  chap.  ii. 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WOKLD.  2-15 

Mr.  Laurens  and  Peter,  "  for  vre  are  all  new  arrivals 
here," 

Mishael  replied  :  "  Angela  will  find  her  love  for  the 
count  fixdiug  from  out  her  soul  should  her  lover  fail  of 
the  grace  of  salvation,  and  she  will  be  happy  in  the  love 
of  God — glorying  that  she  is  forever  and  ever  '  complete 
in  him.'  " 

"  And  now,"  continued  Mishael,  "  I  will  return  to 
the  story  of  my  dear  Angela,"  to  which  all  bowed 
assent. 

"  Angela,  on  reaching  home,  told  her  father  all  that 
was  in  her  heart.  lie  listened  with  profound  spupathy, 
and  while  he  felt  sad  that  his  child's  affections  were 
placed  upon  one  whose  home  must  be  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Atlantic,  yet  he  assured  Angela  he  would  sacrifice 
every  wish  of  his  heart  for  the  promotion  of  her  happi- 
ness, lie  made  many  inquiries,  and  so  ascertained  that 
his  wife  had  neglected  all  the  precautions  he  had  urged 
upon  her,  to  save  Angela  from  any  attachment  which 
would  separate  her  from  her  family  and  country.  When 
he  communicated  to  his  wife  all  he  had  heard,  with 
severe  reproaches  of  her  utter  neglect  of  her  children's 
and  his  own  happiness  while  abroad,  she  replied,  defiantly, 
that  she  had  not  the  eyes  of  Argus,  and  if  she  had  it  was 
impossible  for  her  to  be  but  in  one  place  at  a  time. 
It  was  a  most  unsatisfactory  colloquy  to  Mi\  Jones.  lie 
saw  more  and  more  from  all  that  his  wife  said  in 
defence  of  her  ignorance  of  what  was  transpiring  under 


24G  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

her  cttTi  eye,  that  she  had  been  regardful  only  of  her 
own  pleasures. 

"  Mr.  Jones  was  silent  for  awhile,  meditating  on  what 
he  had  heard  and  what  it  was  his  duty  to  do.  He  saw 
that  his  dear  child  had  heen  innocently  beguiled  into  an 
attachment  which  would  separate  her  from  her  family 
But  Angela  had  said  her  hai^piness  was  at  stake,  and  at 
all  sacrifice  of  his  own  wishes,  she  should  be  upheld  by 
him  with  all  the  love,  sympathy  and  support  he  had  to 
bestow.  When  he  had  reached  this  result,  he  made 
known  his  purposes  should  Count  Gratz  seek  liis  Angela. 
This  brought  forth  the  loudest  complaints  from  Mrs. 
Jones.  She,  who  Avas  proud  of  her  superiority  of  rank 
among  the  democracy  around  her,  tracing  her  line  to  a 
signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  saw  nothing 
to  commend  a  young  man  without  fortune,  though  of 
one  of  the  noblest  families  of  Germany. 

"  The  fashionable  season  was  about  to  open,  and  Mrs. 
Jones  was  desirous  of  making  a  grand  display  of  the 
millinery  she  had  brought  from  Paris,  and  this  she  could 
best  do  by  bringing  out  Angela.  In  this  she  was  utterly 
disappointed.  Angela  was  sick  at  heart,  waiting  for  let- 
ters from  Paris,  and  would  not  go  out  into  society,  nor 
consent  to  have  any  parties  made  for  her,  either  by  her 
mother  or  her  relatives.  This  was  the  first  resistance  to 
her  will  this  lady  had  met  with  in  the  management  of 
her  family  affairs.  Her  husband  she  had  always  made 
to  bend  to  her  decrees,  but  not  so  now.     Mr.  Jones  took 


SCENES   IN    ANOTBEK   WOELD. 


247 


part  with  Angela,  and  severe  Avas  the  punishment  iii- 
flicted  upon  his  lady  when  she  found  her  plans  frustrated. 
Mr.  Jones'  love  for  Angela,  and  his  sympathy  in  her 
silent  sorrow  of  heart,  made  him  a  lion  in  her  defence ; 
and  for  the  first  time  in  her  life  did  Mrs.  Jones  quail 
before  her  incensed  husband, 

"  One  Sunday  morning,  as  Angela  was  about  to  leave 
the  confessional  in  the  church  of  St.  Thomas,  the  priest 
placed  in  her  hands  a  packet  sealed  in  black,  bearing  the 
arms  of  Coimt  Gratz.  She  hastened  home  and  ran  up 
into  her  chamber,  laying  the  packet  upon  her  dressing- 
table  while  she  divested  herself  of  her  bonnet  and  furs. 
She  looked  at  these  seals,  and  hesitated—'  what  could 
they  mean  ?'  but  whoever  was  dead  her  dear  Ernest  was 
alive,  and  had  addressed  this  package  to  her.  Seating 
herself  on  a  sofa,  she  broke  the  seals,  and  there  was  a 
letter  from  the  count,  which  she  opened  with  joyful 
haste.  The  first  sentence  drove  the  color  from  her 
cheek  and  she  fiiinted.  I  read  the  letter.  It  was  brief. 
The  count  told  her  of  his  love  and  deep  despair.  That 
he  had  determined  to  devote  his  life  as  a  missionary  to 
the  Indians  of  Paraguay,  and  would  take  the  vows  of 
celibacy  on  the  morrow.  He  sent  her  a  set  of  beads 
which  he  had  received  from  the  pope  in  person,  and  he 
concluded  by  beseeching  her  to  become  a  religieuse  and 
to  '  meet  him  in  heaven.'  The  beads  had  attached  a 
diamond  cross.  This  last  gift  of  her  lover  lay  at  the  feet 
of  Angela,  and  was  the  first  object  which  attracted  her 


248  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

attention  as  she  wakened  out  of  her  state  of  insensibility. 
Rousing  herself  she  took  up  the  letter  and  read  it  and 
re-read  it.  Then  she  kissed  the  beads  which  had  been 
blessed  by  the  pope  himself,  for  so  had  the  count  written 
m  his  letter.  She  sat  meditating ;  living  ages  in  a  sin- 
gle hour,  until  her  soul  was  all  aroused,  and  kneeling 
down  she  consecrated  herself  to  God ;  in  which  act  of 
devotion  her  spirit  was  lifted  far  above  all  the  sorrows 
and  wretchedness  w^hich  had  shrouded  her  for  months 
past.  This  state  of  exaltation  lasted  for  days.  '  She  had 
lost  her  lover  on  earth  but  she  would  meet  him  in 
heaven !'  Life  now  appeared  but  as  a  dream,  and  she 
felt  that  she  stood  on  the  threshold  of  eternity. 

"Angela  concealed  her  beads  and  cross,  and  the 
count's  letter,  and  made  instant  arrangements  for  be- 
coming a  nun.  She  visited  all  her  relatives  with  a 
smiling  countenance.  They  were  delighted  to  see  the 
rosy  hue  once  more  upon  her  pale  cheek ;  and  such  was 
the  sweet  flow  of  affection  expressed  by  Angela,  that 
there  was  a  general  rejoicing  for  her  restoration  to 
society.  Such  it  appeared  to  her  family  and  their  near 
relatives  and  friends. 

"A  month  had  elapsed  since  the  packet  of  Count 
Gratz  had  been  received,  when  Easter  Sunday  came, 
and  the  family  as  usual  drove  down  town  to  attend 
church,  leaving  Angela  at  home ;  for  she  had  been  to 
morning  mass  and  had  returned  before  they  left.  She 
permitted  her  mother  and   sisters  to  leave  the  house 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    Wv)KLD.  24:9 

\\'itliout  any  sign  of  emotion ;  but  when  handing  her 
father  his  hat,  she  could  restrain  herself  no  longer; 
throwing  her  arms  around  his  neck  and  kissing  him, 
she  burst  into  tears.  She  ran  up  stairs  on  the  instant, 
and  Mr.  Jones  stood  in  doubt  what  to  do ;  when  the 
servant  came  in  from  the  carriage,  with  a  message  from 
his  wife  that  she  was  waiting  for  him.  '  Poor  Angela !' 
sighed  the  father  as  he  put  on  his  hat  and  buttoned  up 
his  coat  to  go. 

"  At  dinner,  Angela  did  not  appear ;  but  as  she  rarely 
dined  with  the  family  on  Sundays — it  being  her  custom 
to  go  to  church  in  the  afternoon,  no  notice  was  taken  of 
her  absence.  Mr.  Jones  left  the  house  for  his  usual 
walk,  Mrs.  Jones  took  her  siesta,  and  the  sisters,  not 
knowing  w^hat  else  to  do,  went  up  to  their  chamber. 
After  remaining  there  awhile,  they  strolled  into  their 
sister's  chamber ;  and  seeing  her  drawers  all  open,  they 
looked  in,  and  saw  slips  of  paper  pinned  to  her  dresses 
and  collars,  with  their  names  and  those  of  their  cousins, 
indicating  for  whom  they  were  designed,  with  a  note  to 
each  requesting  their  acceptance  of  these  gifts.  Filled 
with  wonder,  they  went  down  to  their  mother's  room ; 
and  wakening  her,  told  her  what  they  had  seen.  The 
mother  roused  herself  in  alarm ;  and  when  she  had 
reached  the  chamber  of  Angela,  and  had  examined  her 
drawers  and  opened  her  wardrobe,  and  saw  slips  pinned 
to  every  article  of  dress,  and  had  read  these  farewell 
notes  of  love  from  Angela,  the  idea  of  a  suicide  came 

11* 


250  THE  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

like  a  flash  of  lightning  into  her  mind,  and  she  swooned. 
The  children's  cries  brouglit  up  the  servants,  and  thus 
the  departure  of  Angela  became  known  to  the  house- 
hold ;  and  before  night  it  was  a  matter  of  speculation  on 
both  sides  of  the  square. 

"  Mr.  Jones,  on  his  return  home,  was  met  at  the  door 
by  his  daughters  in  tears.  Leading  them  into  the  parlor 
he  sought  to  quiet  them  of  their  grief,  so  as  to  enable 
them  to  tell  him  what  had  happened.  They  told  him  all 
tbey  kncAv ;  and  that  their  mother  had  said  Angela  had 
drowned  herself  This  idea  Mr.  Jones  resented.  He 
knew  his  child  had  done  nothing  unworthy  of  herself. 
On  entering  liis  wife's  chamber,  he  found  her  in  a  highly 
excited  state  of  mind;,  she  declared  her  belief  that 
Angela  had  made  away  with  herself.  Mr.  Jones  ordered 
his  wife  to  be  silent ;  he  would  not  hear  such  words  from 
her ;  and  told  her,  that  the  public  woidd  hold  her  to  a 
severe  accoimt  for  whatever  might  have  taken  jjlace — a 
singular  remark  fur  him  to  make  at  such  a  time  as  this, 
but  that  he  knew  this  to  be  the  only  tribunal  before 
whom  his  wife  feared  to  be  arraigned ;  for,  odd  as  it  may 
seem  to  you,  Mrs.  Jones  claimed  to  be  a  pattern  woman, 
and  was  ambitious  of  being  so  regarded  in  the  circles  of 
good  society,  in  which  she  was  a  shining  light. 

"  Night  came  on  apace,  and  Mr.  Jones  Avaited  in  silence 
for  the  return  of  his  child  till  long  past  midnight,  when 
he  reluctantly  retired  to  rest ;  and  though  when  awake 
be   chnsed   away  the   surmises  of  his  M-ife,   asleep  his 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WOULD.  251 

dreams  were  full  of  horrors.  With  the  dawn  of  day  the 
entire  family  were  up  and  dressed.  Mrs.  Jones  was  for 
employing  the  police,  and  even  suggested  the  street- 
crier  being  sent  about  to  cry  her  lost  child  ;  for  she  was 
restive  under  this  state  of  incertitude.  Mr.  Jones  would 
do  nothing  of  the  sort.  He  sent  a  message  to  all  the 
family  relatives  to  come  to  his  house  as  early  as  nine 
o'clock,  on  imjiortant  business.  These  missives  were 
promptly  complied  with,  and  at  that  hour  the  parlor  was 
full  of  uncles,  aimts  and  cousins,  all  whispering  to  each 
other  concerning  the  disappearance  of  Angela,  Mhen  Mr. 
Jones  and  his  brother  entered  ;  as  for  Mrs.  Jones,  as  the 
easiest  way  of  avoiding  the  mortification  of  such  a  meet- 
ing, she  sent  an  apology  that  she  was  too  much  indisposed 
to  see  any  one.  Mr.  Jones  told  them  Avhat  had  happened, 
and  asked  if  they  could  aid  him  to  discover  what  had 
become  of  his  child.  After  a  little  hesitancy,  they  gave 
their  guesses,  and  the  reasons  for  such  guesses ;  and  it 
was  wonderful  how  much  they  had  gathered  up  of  the 
story  of  Count  Gratz  and  his  love  of  Angela,  from  theii- 
friends  who  were  residents  in  Paris  at  the  same  time,  and 
on  familiar  intercourse  with  Mrs.  Jones  in  that  city. 

"While  they  were  thus  conversing  and  comparing 
observations,  a  man  came  to  the  door  with  a  letter  ad- 
dressed to  Mr.  Jones.  This  was  brought  in  by  a  servant 
woman  who  had  received  it.  As  soon  as  his  eye  caught 
the  direction  of  the  letter,  Mr.  Jones  rose  and  ex- 
claimed, 'Tliaiik  God,  she  is  safe!'     The  servant  hear- 


252  THE   GATES   WIDE   Ol'EX;    OR, 

ing  this,  ran  up  to  lier  mistress  with  the  glad  news.  Mr. 
Jones  was  reading  the  letter  with  eagerness,  and  that  ho 
was  troubled  by  what  he  read  was  seen  in  his  fea- 
tures, and  the  tears  which  rose  to  his  eyes,  when  Mrs. 
Jones  rushed  into  the  room  and  almost  rudely  seizing 
her  husband's  arms  in  her  imj^atience,  cried,  '  Where  is 
she?'  Mr.  Jones  having  glanced  over  the  remainmg 
portion  of  the  letter,  folded  it  up,  and  with  cuttmg  cold- 
ness, addressing  his  wife,  said:  'Angela  has  gone  from 
us  never  to  return.  This,  madam,  is  the  last  sad  result 
of  your  life  in  Paris.'  Then  turning  to  his  relatives,  he 
said :  '  My  sweet  child,  as  you  aU  know,  while  in  Paris 
became  attached  to  a  younger  son  of  a  noble  family  of 
Austria.  His  avowals  were  listened  to  by  Mrs.  Jones 
with  courtesy,  and  he  received  her  assurances  that  she 
would  lay  his  proj)osals  before  me,  and  that  they  had 
her  entire  approval.  This  done,  the  count  having  gone 
to  Vienna  to  see  his  family,  Angela  was  hurried  home  ; 
but  not  before  she  had,  poor  girl !  seen  her  confessor,  and 
commmiicated  all  she  knew.  On  returniBg  to  Paris,  this 
gentleman  was  told  of  the  departure  of  Angela,  and 
received  a  note  from  Mrs.  Jones,  saying  she  never  would 
consent  to  her  daughter  making  a  love  match,  and  what 
else  I  do  not  know  ;  for  that  such  a  note  had  been  writ- 
ten was  unknown  to  me  till  this  morning.  Outraged 
and  deeply  mortified,  Count  Gratz  resigned  his  position 
in  Paris,  and  hastened  to  Rome,  where  he  has  an  uncle, 
a  cardinal  and  a  minister  of  state,  in  order  to  take  the 


sci:ni:s  in  anothkr  wokld.  253 

orders  of  the  pvicstliood.  This  he  has  done,  and  is  now 
on  his  Avay  to  Paraguay  as  a  missionary.  In  a  letter 
recently  received  by  Angela,  so  she  writes  m  this  letter, 
he  exhorted  her  to  become  a  nnn,  that  in  heaven  their 
union  might  be  made  perfect.  Angela  has  become  a 
nun.  She  took  the  veil  yesterday,  and  is  thus  lost  to  us 
forever.' 

"No  sooner  had  Mrs.  Jones  heard  this  than  her 
tongue  found  a  theme  on  which  to  discourse  with  fluency 
and  energy.  She  urged  her  husband  to  take  legal  steps 
to  recover  Angela ;  and  if  these  should  fail,  then  to 
rouse  a  mob  and  tear  down  the  walls  of  this  prison- 
house,  with  its  bars  and  bolts.  As  Mrs.  Jones  found 
relief  in  this  outburst  of  passion,  she  was  indulged  in  it 
to  the  full ;  after  which  Mr.  Jones  again  addressed  his 
relatives  in  these  words:  'My  dear  friends,  no  one  can 
more  deeply  deplore  the  step  taken  by  Angela  than 
myself.  She  is  of  age,  and  has  acted  in  accordance  with 
the  pleadings  of  a  hopeless  love,  and  I  must  submit. 
Let  who  will  indulge  in  reproaches,  Angela  will  hear 
none  from  me.  May  God  bless  her  sorrowing  heart  with 
the  light  of  his  countenance  and  the  joy  of  his  salvation!' 
So  saying,  he  took  his  brother's  arm,  and  bowing  to  all,  left 
the  room.  Mrs.  Jones  then  again  endeavored  to  get  up 
a  party  for  tearing  down  the  convent,  but  without  suc- 
cess. The  relatives  retiring  left  her  alone  to  her  own 
thoughts ;  and  though  these  were  not  pleasant,  they 
were  not  reproachful  of  herself. 


254  THE   GATES  "V7IDE   OPEN;   OR, 

"  And  now  I  must  return  to  ray  charge.  Angela  in 
making  her  arrangements  had  secured  the  aid  of  a  catho- 
lic lady,  belonging  to  the  circle  of  her  mother's  friends, 
who  had  her  carriage  in  readiness  at  12  o'clock;  and 
when  Angela  came  to  her  house,  went  with  her  to  the 
convent  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  where  her  confessor  had 
made  all  the  arrangements  for  her  reception.  The  lady 
al)bess  felt  that  this  was  a  case  demanding  instant  compli- 
ance ;  and  Angela,  at  the  evening  service,  was  invested 
Avith  the  white  veil.  This  done,  she  gave  to  her  lady- 
friend  the  letter  she  had  prepared  for  her  father,  which 
was  forwarded  by  one  of  her  servants,  as  I  have  already 
told  you. 

"Angela,  in  Paris,  was  in  the  bloom  of  beauty ;  joyous 
and  happy ;  the  playfulness  of  her  mt,  and  the  lovable- 
ncss  of  her  character,  constituted  her  the  central  attrac- 
tion of  her  mother's  circle.  Everybody  loved  Angela, 
and  Angela  loved  everybody.  But  on  her  return  home, 
all  her  buoyancy  was  gone.  Her  rosy  complexion  be- 
came pale  and  sallow,  and  signs  of  a  hectic  were  seen  by 
her  father  w^hose  sympathies  were  all  enlisted  in  the  for- 
tunes of  his  lovely  daughter.  He  only  was  acquainted 
with  all  that  Angela  had  to  tell.  He  desired  to  write  to 
Count  Gratz,  and  to  express  his  approval  of  his  union 
with  Angela ;  but  she  felt  the  count  owed  it  to  her,  to 
reply  to  the  letter  she  had  left  for  him — the  letter  her 
mother  had  destroyed.  And  thus  the  months  rolled  on 
till  Count  Gratz's  packet  came.     Her   soul   rose   to   a 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  255 

height  of  heavenly  repose,  so  soon  as  she  had  consecrat- 
ed herself  to  God.  The  mystery  of  life  to  her  was  now 
solved ;  and  her  enthusiasm  gave  a  lustre  to  her  eye  and 
a  flush  to  her  cheek,  which  filled  the  heart  of  her  father 
with  gladness.  But  when  the  vow  was  taken,  and  the 
newness  of  a  nun's  life  had  worn  away,  the  signs  of  de- 
cline became  more  and  more  apparent.  Her  father  and 
sisters  came  every  week  to  see  her;  and  she  hstened 
with  a  grieved  heart  to  their  entreaties  to  return  home 
and  make  them  happy  once  more.  She  longed  for  the 
months  to  roll  on,  when  the  black  veil  would  save  her 
from  these  sad  importunities.  She  was  zealous  of  her 
duties,  and  met  the  pains  and  penalties  of  a  nun's  life 
with  cheerful  submission.  It  was  evident  to  all  that  she 
could  not  maintain  the  rigor  she  had  assumed ;  and  her 
mental  conflicts  increased  with  her  dimmished  bodily 
strength.  Her  soul  was  often  in  darkness ;  at  times, 
repining  against  the  pro^ddence  of  God  ;  as  Avhen  the 
recollections  of  the  comit  and  their  happy  life  in  Paris 
came  up  before  her  so  vi\adly,  that  it  was  all  but  reality. 
These  day-dreams  she  repelled  as  the  uastigations  of  the 
devil.  Poor  child!  she  did  not  know  that  these  were 
the  necessary  results  of  her  debility.  But  it  was  my 
privilege  to  call  up  before  her  mind,  sweet  visions  of  the 
heavenly  world;  and  when  she  awoke,  she  wept  that  she 
was  yet  alive.  And  thus  the  months  rolled  on  ;  and  dis- 
ease -wnth  stealthy  steps  advanced.  Angela  was  looking 
forward  to  Easter  Sunday,  when  her  novitiate  would  be 


256  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

ended  and  she  should  take  the  black  veil ;  as  if  that  vow 
would  shut  out  of  her  heart  all  its  loA^es  and  memories 
of  the  past.  Passion  Sunday  came,  and  Angela  was 
unable  to  rise  from  her  pallet.  Her  eyes  shone  brightly 
with  the  fever  which  was  consuming  her  life.  She  was 
very  happy  in  her  meditations  of  the  love  and  death  of 
Christ.  Her  mind  had  been  enhghtened  by  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  and  when  the  lady  superior  came  to  her  bedside 
with  her  kind  inquiries,  the  eloquence  of  the  novice,  as 
she  spoke  of  her  joy  of  faith,  filled  this  lady  with  admir- 
ing wonder.  But  I  linger  in  my  tale — let  me  hasten  to 
a  close, 

"  It  was  but  a  week  that  she  was  confined  to  her  bed. 
The  nuns  who  waited  around  her,  saw  vnih  awe  the 
light  of  immortality  shining  from  out  her  eyes.  She 
loved  to  lie  in  silent  reverie,  looking  up  with  such  a 
fixedness  of  gaze,  that  the  nuns  who  gathered  around 
her  bed  were  sure  she  had  a  vision  of  angels.  And 
when  once  they  whisjDered  to  her,  '  Sister  Angela,  are 
the  heavens  opened  to  you  ?'  She  replied,  '  There  is  a 
pencil  of  light  streaming  down  from  the  thi'one  of  God, 
filling  my  soul  with  joy  unspeakable  and  fall  of  glory.'  * 
It  was  a  sweet,  trance-like  state  of  repose. 

"  Although  this  was  all  beautiful  and  saint-like,  yet  it 
became  a  matter  of  j^ainful  regret  to  the  lady  superior 
and  her  nuns,  that  Angela  had  as  yet  no  vision  of  the 

*  This  was  the  happy  experience  of  that  eminent  saint,  Mrs.  Edwards,  the  wife 
of  Jonathan  Edwards,  the  great  divine. 


SCENES    m    ANOTHER    WOKLD.  257 

Blessed  Virgin  and  lier  child.  Tliey,  therefore,  con- 
sulted the  priests  of  the  monastery  near  by  ;  who,  after 
mature  deliberation,  believed  that  if  the  relics  of  St. 
Bridget,  of  famous  memory,  of  which  the  convent  had 
the  veritable  cross-bones,  were,  with  fitting  ceremonies, 
taken  from  beneath  the  altar,  and  should  be  laid  upon  the 
breast  of  Angela,  they  would  purge  the  films  from  her  eyes. 
This  was  accordingly  done,  and  Angela  thanked  them 
for  this  smgular  expression  of  their  love  and  sympathy. 

" '  Do  you  not  now  see  the  Blessed  Virgin,  Angela  ?' 
asked  Father  Bonner. 

"  Angela,  who  lay  feeble  as  an  infant,  smiled,  but  did 
not  answer. 

"  '  You  do  see  the  Mother  of  God  !'  cried  Father  Bon- 
ner, exultingly. 

"  '  I  see  Jesus !'  whispered  Angela. 

"  And  so  it  was,  after  waiting  till  patience  Avas  ex- 
hausted, Father  Bonner  took  the  relics  from  the  breast 
of  Angela,  and  with  a  sad  heart  returned  them  to  theu* 
shrine.* 

"  On  the  Monday  following  Angela's  father  came  out 

*  Robert  Fortune,  Esq  ,  in  his  recent  work,  published  in  London,  1857,  entitled 
"  A  Residence  among  the  Chinese,"  chap,  ii.,  gives  an  account  of  the  idols  wor- 
shipped by  the  Buddhists  of  China,  he  says :  "  The  Queen  of  Heaven  (Kwiin-yin) 
with  her  child  in  her  arms,  was  the  only  idol  that  did  not  seem  to  frown. 
Some  have  supposed  that  this  image  represents  the  Virgin  Mary  and  infant 
Saviour,  and  argue  from  this  that  Buddhism  and  Christianity  have  been  mixed  up 
in  the  formation  of  the  JJuddhist  religion  ;  or  that  the  earlier  Buddhists  in  Thibet 
and  India  have  had  some  slight  glimmerings  of  the  Christian  faith." — P.  89. 
From  a  remote  period,  anterior  to  the  Christian  era,  these  people  have  had  their 


258  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

unaccompanied  to  see  her.  He  was  grieved  to  see  his 
child  had  reached  this  closing  stage  of  her  decline.  He 
was  convinced  she  wonld  never  leave  her  couch  alive ; 
and  when  he  spoke  to  her  of  his  fears,  she  replied,  that 
she  had  long  since  given  up  the  exi^ectation  of  taking  the 
black  veil. 

"  '  Alas  !  dear  child,  you  are  about  to  be  enshrouded 
with  the  veil  of  the  tomb,  and  will  be  forever  hid  from 
our  eyes.' 

"  '  Not  forever,  my  dear  father,'  said  Angela ;  '  Oh, 
no,  not  forever !' 

"  Angela  now  requested  the  nuns,  some  of  whom  were 
ever  present,  to  raise  her  head  so  that  she  might  sit  up 
awhile.  When  this  was  done,  laying  her  hands  in  her 
iather's,  she  said,  '  I  wish,  my  father,  you  could  reaUze 
what  a  dream  is  life.  I  wonder  that  I  have  been  so 
grieved  by  the  loss  of  my  hopes  of  happiness  on  earth.  I 
see  now  that  this  great  grief  has  brought  me  to  the  cross 
of  Christ.  Dying !  what  is  it,  dear  father  ?  I  have  in  my 
soul  the  highest  exercise  of  consciousness  that  my  life  is 
hid  with  Christ  in  God,  and  when  he  who  is  my  life 
shall  appear,  then  shall  I  also  appear  with  him  in  glory." 

"Angela  earnestly  entreated  her  father  to  devote  him- 

monasteries,  and  monks  who  wear  a  rosary,  and  use  them  in  their  devotions  in 
the  same  way  as  in  Catholic  countries,  to  the  great  astonishmeut  of  St.  Francis 
Xavier  and  the  early  Jesuit  missionaries.  See  account  of  Cochin  China,  in  Pinker- 
ton's  Collection,  vol.  ix.,  p.  762.  After  describing  the  monks  and  the  nuns  and 
their  customs  and  modes  of  worship,  the  missionary  says,  naively,  "  So  near  hae 
the  devil  endeavored  to  imitate  ms." 


SCENES   IN    ANOTHER   WOKLD.  259 

self  to  the  service  of  God.  There  had  been  until  now 
an  insurmountable  harrier  which  prevented  her  pouring 
out  all  that  was  m  her  heart  to  her  father.  This  was  all 
removed.  With  the  utmost  fluency  and  ease  she  sought 
to  enlist  her  flither  to  make  the  salvation  of  his  soul  and 
of  those  dear  to  them  both,  the  chief  concern  of  his  life. 
And  when,  fearing  to  exhaust  her  strength,  he  proposed 
to  leave  her,  she  said,  '  Not  yet,  father,  I  have  one  last 
request  to  make.  This  diamond  cross,'  holding  it  up  as 
she  spoke  from  her  bosom,  '  and  this  rosary  were  sent  to 
me  by  Count  Gratz  in  the  letter  he  addressed  to  me 
the  day  before  he  assumed  the  habit.  I  have  a  letter 
which  I  wrote  the  week  before  I  made  my  profession, 
which  I  wish  you  to  send  him,  accomi^anied  by  this  cross 
and  these  beads.  The  cross  you  will  take  from  my  neck, 
and  the  rosary  will  be  found  at  my  side.  My  letter  I 
will  now  place  in  your  hands,  and  I  shall  sleep  all  the 
sweeter,  dearest  father,  knowing  that  you  have  received 
this  my  last  request.' 

"  The  letter  was  taken  from  a  bureau  by  a  nun,  at  the 
request  of  Angela,  and  handed  to  her.  After  having 
looked  at  the  superscription,  she  gave  it  to  her  father. 
Many  memories  of  the  past  rushed  mto  the  rriind  of  An- 
gela as  she  held  this  letter  in  her  hand,  and  imagined  the 
circumstances  which  would  attend  its  delivery ;  the  emo- 
tions it  would  induce  in  the  mind  of  Count  Gratz,  and 
the  sad  satisfaction  he  would  receive  in  knowing  that  his 
wishes  had  been  met. 


260  THE  gatp:s  wide  open;  or, 

"  The  following  days  Angela  was  regarded  as  in  a  dy- 
ing state,  but  she  revived  again,  and  was  able  to  receive 
the  last  visit  of  her  mother  and  sisters.  To  her  mother 
she  said  everything  which  could  comfort  her  and  relieve 
her  mind  from  all  remorse  concerning  her  conduct 
towards  Count  Gratz  and  herself;  but  such  was  the  con- 
dition of  that  lady's  mind,  that  she  had  little  conscious- 
ness of  what  was  said  to  her  by  her  child.  Not  so  her 
sisters  ;  they  were  alive  to  every  look  and  every  word, 
and  all  the  sweet  expressions  of  Angela  for  their  conduct 
in  life  was  written  deeply  upon  their  hearts :  and  I  am 
confident  the  death  of  Angela  will  be  the  day-da^vn  of  a 
spiritual  life  to  her  family. 

"  Death  came,  and  the  last  offices  of  the  church  were 
administered  to  Angela  in  the  presence  of  her  father 
and  the  lady  superior.  She  was  radiant  with  joy  and 
peace.  The  morning  star  visibly  shone  over  her  lovely 
face.  Her  eyes,  foil  of  love,  were  turned  upon  her  father. 
She  wanted  to  speak,  and  all  hovered  around  her  to 
catch  her  last  words.  Finding  she  was  unable  to  do  so, 
with  a  sweet  smile  she  ofiered  her  lips  to  her  father  for 
his  last  kiss.  With  the  utmost  self-control,  Mr.  Jones 
kissed  his  Angela  again  and  again,  and  then  hastened 
out  into  the  hall  where  he  could  vent  his  cries  and 
tears. 

"  Angela's  eye  followed  her  father  as  he  left  the  room. 
She  then  closed  them,  and  crossing  her  hands  over  her 
breast,  without  a  sigh  her  soul  was  released.    Waking 


SCENFS   IN    ANOTHER   WORLD,  261 

into  life,  she  found  herself  clothed  upon  with  the  vesture 
of  immortality." 

Calliste  and  Mrs.  Jay  thanked  Mishael  for  his  mterest- 
ui£r  narrative. 

"You  have  said  nothing,  Mishael,  about  Angela's 
becoming  a  nun,  and  not  one  word  against  convents," 
said  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  Guardian  angels  are  not  called  upon  to  discuss  such 
questions.  Wherever  Angela  went,  by  God's  pennissive 
will,  it  was  my  duty  to  follow." 

"  Granted,  Mishael ;  but  you  have  seen  the  mteriors 
of  convents,  and  what  do  you  think  of  them  ?" 

"  I  know  them,  madam,  to  be  prison-houses  of  both 
body  and  soul.  Of  this  Angela  was  saved  all  knowledge ; 
for  the  dark  chambers  of  mystery  are  kept  closed  until 
the  black  veil,  like  a  pall,  has  shiit  up  novices  in  their  liv- 
ing tombs." 


262  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 


CHAPTER  XI. 

• 

Life  at  the  Palace  described — An  Evening  Entertainment  at  the  Temple — A  Sunset 
described— The  Sabbath— rhe  Ritual  Service  of  the  Temple— A  Sermon  is 
preached  by  John  Howe,  once  Chaplain  to  Oliver  Cromwell — Mrs.  Jay  and 
Peter  meet  Mr.  Howe  in  the  Gardens— Their  Colloquy — The  Necessity  of  a 
Crecd^Mr.  Howe  on  Conversion — Mrs.  Jay's  Account  of  the  State  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  the  United  States— Her  Notion  of  the  Work  of  the 
Ministry. 

The  stars  began  to  glitter  in  the  clear  skies  of  twilight, 
when  our  friends,  Peter,  Laurens  and  Mrs.  Jay,  met  St. 
Perpetua,  Angela  and  Miss  Mehitable  Smith  upon  the 
terrace.  Perpetua  apologized  for  not  rejoining  them  in 
the  morning,  but  she  had  been  happily  absorbed  by 
Angela ;  whereupon  Angela  gratefully  expressed  her 
high  sense  of  the  honor  thus  conferred  by  St.  Perpetua. 
The  step  of  Angela  was  elastic,  and  her  eyes,  which  had 
been  so  downcast,  were  now  radiant  with  joy  and  free- 
dom. Miss  Smith  next  spoke ;  alluding  to  her  first  meet- 
ing with  Mrs.  Jay,  she  said  with  a  smile,  "  Tou  must 
have  been  amused  with  my  remarks,  Mrs.  Jay.  It  was 
all  so  new  to  me  !"    Mrs.  Jay  replied,  "  Nothing  could  be 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER    WOEX,D.  203 

more  natural  to  a  new  comer,  for  slie  had  herself  said 
the  same  things  to  St.  Perpetua  on  seeing  for  the  first 
time  this  doubtful  recreation  of  fashionable  life  in  such 
good  repute  here."  St.  Perpetua  gave  Mrs.  Jay  a  know- 
ing look,  and  smiled. 

While  they  were  promenading  the  ten\acc,  Faustinus 
and  Calliste,  accompanied  by  Tibertius,  joined  them. 
Calliste  presented  Angela  to  him,  and  Perpetua,  in  like 
manner,  Miss  Smith.  This  done,  they  broke  up  into 
pairs,  Tibertius  attending  Angela ;  and  it  was  sweet 
music  in  the  ears  of  Mrs.  Jay  to  listen  to  the  briglit  joy- 
ous tones  of  Angela's  voice,  who  Avalked  immediately 
behind  her,  conversing  with  Tibertius.  JMisliacl  joined 
them,  and  told  them  that  an  eminent  scholar  who  had 
been  for  eight  centuries  studying  in  the  school  of  elo- 
quence would  recite  certain  rhapsodies  of  the  Homer- 
ides,  some  portions  of  which  were  found  woven  into  the 
Iliad.  This  was  equally  delightful  to  our  group,  and 
they  aU  agreed  to  attend. 

When  the  chimes  told  the  hour  for  these  recitations, 
the  entire  company  in  the  palace  began  to  move  toward 
the  temple. 

As  they  descended  the  steps,  they  saw  the  dome  of 
the  tempfe,  high  above  the  trees,  glowing  "with  hght ; 
and  when  our  friends  entered  the  building,  they  paused 
to  admire  the  si)lendor  of  the  illumination.  This  was  in 
itself  a  miracle  of  art.  Beads  of  light,  of  dilferent 
sizes,  revealed  eveiy  ornament,  while  a  noon-day  radi- 


264  THE  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;   OK, 

ance  came  do^yn  from  above,  as  sunshine  through  the 
foliage  of  an  over-hanging  forest. 

The  audience  Avere  all  in  their  seats,  gaily  conversing, 
when  some  one  unseen  began  to  play  on  the  great 
organ.  The  tones  were  far  off,  but  gradually  drew 
nearer,  until  there  was  a  grand  opening  of  the  full  organ. 
Then  it  gradually  diminished,  now  swelling  as  if  the 
music  of  military  bands  was  heard  ascending  some  far 
mountain ;  then  it  was  lost,  as  if  descending  into  a  valley ; 
then  a  strain  was  caught,  as  if  reflected  by  the  face  of 
some  steep  hUl,  till  it  was  heard  no  more.  Just  as  the 
ear  was  straining  to  catch  another  echo,  the  orator  came 
forward  and  was  received  with  bursts  of  applause. 
Never  before  had  Mrs.  Jay  or  Peter  realized  the  power 
of  the  voice.  These  ancient  poems  were  delivered  with 
such  exquisite  skill,  that  when  the  recitations  were  over, 
Laurens  said  he  believed  he  should  have  known  what 
was  the  burden  of  the  poem,  if  he  had  not  understood  a 
word,  merely  by  listening  to  the  tones  of  the  voice,  and 
watching  the  face  of  the  speaker  and  his  gestures. 

It  was  past  nine  when  the  perfonnances  ended;  and 
while  the  audience  were  retiring,  our  friends  remained 
to  examine  the  interior  of  the  temple,  Ut  up  as  it  was  by 
millions  of  jets  of  flame.  The  effect  of  this  illumination 
was  to  reveal  beauties  of  design  concealed  before.  Mrs. 
Jay  spoke  of  this  to  St.  Perpetua,  who  replied  that 
there  was  not  a  pillar,  arch,  or  ornament  which  was 
not    contemplated    and    designed    by  the   architect  in 


SCENES    IN    ANOTIIEK    WOELD.  265 

its  double  relations  to  sunlight  and  artificial   illumina- 
tion. 

On  coming  out  of  the  temple,  Perpetua  invited  Cal- 
liste  and  Faustinus  and  our  friends  to  ascend  with  her- 
self, Angela  and  Tibertius,  to  witness  from  the  furthest 
orb  a  wonderful  comet,  which  had  been  reported  as 
coming  towards  their  planetary  system.  This  was  de- 
clined by  Calliste,  who  said  she  had  the  promise  of  Mr. 
Schlemihl  and  Laurens  to  spend  the  evenmg  with  her  in 
her  own  parlor ;  and  turning  to  Mrs.  Jay,  she  expressed 
the  hope  that  she  would  go  home  with  her.  Angela 
begged  Mrs.  Jay's  company  on  their  excursion,  and  in 
this  Tibertius  united.  It  was  a  j^assage  of  wit  and 
entreaty  between  Calliste  and  Angela,  who  should  retain 
the  society  of  Mrs.  Jay ;  and  it  was  gratifying  to  all  to 
see  the  buoyancy  and  brilliancy  already  manifested  by 
the  beautiful  nun.  That  cowed  and  depressed  demeanor, 
seen  in  her  bent  figure  on  her  approach  to  St.  Perpetua, 
was  gone,  and  now  her  step  was  volant,  and  her  flashing 
eye  full  of  gladness.  The  nun  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of 
Jesus  was  lost  iu  the  Redeemed  child  of  God. 


Time  flew  fast  amid  scenes  so  various  and  beautiful ; 
but  there  was  no  shadow  cast  over  their  brightest  mo- 
ments by  the  thought,  that  they  Avere  to  come  to  an  end. 
Eternity  was  before  them ;  and  every  new  joy  brought 
with  it  the  capacity  for  an  advance  to  higher  happinesa 

12 


266  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

There  was  no  ebbing  of  the  tide  of  existence,  no  weari- 
ness from  excess  of  blessedness. 

As  Mrs.  Jay  and  her  friends  were  walking  together  in 
the  grounds  of  the  palace,  studying  the  beauty  of  the 
statuary  and  temples,  they  saw  a  great  convoy  of  angels 
and  Redeemed  floating  onwards  to  the  palace.  They 
were  evidently  enjoying  the  splendors  of  the  hour 
The  sun  had  just  sunk  into  a  sea  of  molten  gold,  whUe 
silver-capped  clouds  rose  like  mountains  intervening  be- 
tween the  zone ;  so  that  this  broad,  illuminated  belt 
looked  like  a  bow  of  promise  resting  on  clouds  of  silver. 

It  was  the  closing  day  of  the  week,  and  these  angels 
and  Redeemed  whom  they  saw  in  the  air  were  return- 
ing from  distant  worlds  to  share  in  the  services  of  the 
Lord's  day  at  the  temple  of  the  palace.  On  earth  this 
is  a  day,  with  most  Christians,  of  penitence  and  prayer ; 
but  here  the  day  was  spent  by  all  in  public  worship  and 
praise.  In  all  worlds,  as  we  have  before  said,  there  is  a 
Lord's  day ;  and  wherever  the  Redeemed  of  earth  are 
present,  they  tell  to  unfallen  beings  the  story  of  man's 
redemption ;  and  this  is  their  last  and  highest  attain- 
ment— to  preach  the  Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  This 
was  the  joy  of  Paul  on  earth,  and  is  his  delightful  theme 
in  heaven.  In  whatever  world  the  Redeemed  are  placed 
for  their  development  antl  culture,  all  alike  rejoice  in  the 
hope  of  being  at  some  time  thus  capacitated  to  glorify 
their  God  and  Saviour. 

The  next  day  was  a  high  day  at  the  palace ;  and  it 


SCENES   IN   AJSOTHEK   WORLD.  2G7 

was  a  beautiful  sight  to  see  the  assembling  of  the  angels, 
Redeemed  and  servitors,  with  buoyant  steps  and  coimte- 
nances  lit  up  with  devotion,  thronging  to  the  temple. 

Every  part  of  this  vast  edifice  was  full  at  an  early 
hour  in  advance  of  the  time  for  beginning  the  services, 
and  the  great  masters  of  music  were  in  their  places, 
when  Handel  and  St.  Cecilia  entered  the  choir,  where- 
upon the  sublime  services  of  this  sanctuary  commenced 
by  a  choral  anthem.  This  was  followed  by  songs  of 
praise,  in  which  the  orchestra  and  organ,  and  every  one 
present,  joined.  This  magnificent  ritual  of  worship  was 
the  work  of  ages.  The  grandest  conceptions  of  the 
love  of  God  in  the  gift  of  his  only  Son,  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  man,  were  conveyed  to  theu*  souls  by  a  liturgy, 
exhibiting  in  itself  the  utmost  power  of  language  ;  which 
was  intensified  by  the  genius  of  the  great  masters,  and 
made  vocal  by  a  vast  audience,  all  alike  glowing  with 
the  enthusiasm  of  love.  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  sat  over- 
whelmed with  emotions  of  gratitude  to  God  who  had 
made  them  partakers  of  the  divine  nature.  This  service 
ended,  the  orator  of  the  day  ascended  the  forum.  He 
was  of  a  majestic  height,  and  his  face  was  noble.  His 
eye  threw  rays  of  light  over  the  audience  as  he  sur- 
veyed them  from  the  platform.  There  was  in  his  bear- 
ing a  consciousness  of  the  loftiness  of  his  theme,  Avhich 
swelled  in  his  breast  and  gleamed  from  his  eye.  The 
attention  of  every  one  present  was  riveted.  Stretching 
forth  his  hand,  the  orator  began :     "  Hear,  O  heavens, 


268  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

and  give  ear  O  earth;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken.  I 
have  nourished  and  brought  up  children,  and  they  have 
rebelled  against  me."  Taking  this  for  his  text,  he  por- 
trayed in  words  of  flame  the  rebelUon  of  man,  from  the 
earliest  days  to  the  death  of  Christ;  and  then  he 
brought  this  home  to  every  redeemed  soul  present,  in 
their  past  history  and  present  blessedness ;  showing  the 
glory  of  God's  grace  in  their  salvation  with  a  vividness, 
w^hich,  like  a  flash  of  lightning  to  the  eye,  shut  out  from 
their  minds  every  other  thought,  and  only  God  and 
Christ,  and  their  soul's  life,  were  present  in  their  con- 
sciousness. 

When  the  orator  ceased  there  was  a  long  pause.  Like 
the  apostles  on  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  his  auditors 
were  blinded  with  the  excess  of  glory,  which  weighed 
upon  their  spirits  like  a  heavy  sleep,  out  of  which  they 
slowly  awakened.  And  this  was  the  eloquence  of  a 
human  being ! — a  minister  who  had  held  a  high  place 
in  the  Christian  world,  and  who  since  had  been  a  student 
in  the  school  of  eloquence,  and  was  now  traversing  the 
wide-spread  universe  of  God,  to  tell  of  the  glorious  gos- 
pel of  Jesus  Christ.* 

*  The  heavens  as  seen  on  a  starry  night  are  called  the  universe.  Now,  modern 
astronomy  has  shown  us  the  shape  of  the  firmament  in  which  our  sun  is  a  star ;  and 
beyond  and  outside  this  our  firmament,  are  already  catalogued  upwards  of 
twelve  hundred  nebvlcB,  believed  to  be  distinct  firmaments ;  and  of  these  there  is 
no  end. 

Sir  J.  F.  W.  Herschell,  in  his  Astronomy,  chapter  xii.,  §  626,  says  :  "  The  nebulaa 
furnish,  on  every  point  of  view,  an  inexhaustible  field  of  speculation  and  con« 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHEK   WORLD.  269 

One  afternoon  of  the  following  week,  as  Mrs.  Jay  and 
Peter  were  walking  in  the  gardens,  watching  the  coming 
twihght  and  listening  to  the  singmg  of  birds  and  of  far- 
off  choirs,  they  were  joined  by  the  orator,  John  Howe, 
the  eminent  chaplain  to  Oliver  Cromwell,  whose  benig- 
nant smile  as  he  approached  them,  encouraged  Mrs.  Jay 
to  address  him.  With  a  courtesy  full  of  graciousness 
he  came  up  and  inquired  what  had  been  the  subject- 
matter  of  their  conversation,  that  he  might  share  in  it. 

"We  were  talking  of  the  blessedness  of  the  righteous, 
and  of  the  text  in  John's  epistle,  '  Behold  what  manner 
of  love  the  Father  has  bestowed  upon  us  that  we  should 
be  called  the  sons  of  God.'  " 

"  A  precious  subject,"  replied  Mr.  Howe,  "  and  one 
concernmg  which  I  delighted  to  speculate  while  on 
earth." 

"  I  was  expressing  to  my  friend  my  astonishment  that 
this  topic  is  so  seldom  the  subject  of  ministerial  teachings 
at  the  present  day ;  and  that  mere  matters  of  method 
and  of  ritual  are  permitted  to  take  the  place  of  the  great 
theme  of  the  adoption  of  sinners  into  the  family  of  God. 
I  was  myself,  sir,  a  member  of  the  Ej^iscopal  church,  and 

jecture.  That  by  far  the  larger  share  of  them  consist  of  stars  there  can  be  little 
doubt ;  and  by  the  interminable  range  of  system  upon  system,  and  fli-mament  upon 
firmament,  which  we  thus  catch  a  glimpse  of,  the  imagination  is  bewildered  and 
lost." 

Since  this  work  of  Sir  J.  F.  W.  Ilerschell  was  published,  Lord  Rosse  has  erected 
his  great  telescope,  which  has  resolved  many  nebulous  spots  into  vast  firmauienta 
of  stars. 


270  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

in  the  light  of  eternity  I  see  no  reason  to  change  my 
preference  for  its  liturgy ;  but  I  fear  it  is  too  common  for 
Christians  of  all  denominations  to  deem  the  shell  as 
essential  as  the  kernel  itself." 

"  As  it  is,"  replied  Mr.  Howe,  with  emphasis  ;  "  for, 
madam,  a  man  to  be  without  a  creed,  a  mode  of  faith,  a 
formula  of  devotion,  is  to  be  without  religion." 

"  But,  reverend  sir,  on  earth,"  said  Mrs.  Jay,  "  the 
scaffolding  is  too  often  regarded  as  an  object  of  more 
interest  than  the  temple.  Here  accessories  are  nothing, 
and  Christ  is  all — his  birth,  his  life,  his  works  of  mercy 
and  his  words  of  love,  his  death  and  resurrection,  and 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  these  are  the  themes  of 
heavenly  worlds,  but  how  is  it  on  earth  ?  Is  Christ  all 
and  in  all  ?  No,  indeed  !  It  is  the  General  Assembly,  the 
convocation  of  the  House  of  Bishops,  or  the  Convention 
of  some  sort — mere  vehicles  for  promoting  the  interests 
of  t,he  several  sectarian  organizations,  absorbing  the 
talents  and  time  of  the  ministry  which  should  be  conse- 
crated to  God  and  Christ." 

"  It  is  the  infirmity  of  earthly  natures.  In  the  world 
there  is  no  progress  but  what  comes  from  conflict  of 
opposing  forces.  There  was  no  little  of  this  in  the  days 
of  the  Protectorate,  in  which  I  largely  shared." 

"  How  does  modern  preaching  compare  with  that  of 
your  times  ?"  asked  Peter. 

"The  ministry  of  my  day,  and  of  all  days  since  the  apos- 
tolic age,  has  been  too  often  aside  from  the  true  power 


SCKNKS    IN    ANOTHER    WORLD.  271 

of  tlic  gospel  of  our  blcssod  God  and  Saviour.  Of  late, 
recondite  themes  have  taken  the  place  of  the  simple 
story  of  the  life  and  death  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  which  has 
come  to  be  a  twice-told  tale.  All  this  is  wrong.  The 
song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb  is  an  ever  new  song  in 
heaven ;  and  the  story  of  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of 
God  is  the  one  great  theme  which  God  designs  shall  be 
the  power  of  God  to  the  salvation  of  the  soul.  It  is  to 
be  hoped  that  a  day-spring  from  on  high  is  about  to 
dawn,  when  a  symmetrical  and  beautiful  union  Avill  exist 
in  the  Church  of  God  of  s}Tnpathy  with  man,  and  of  high 
and  holy  aspirations  after  the  indwelling  of  Christ." 

"  I  beg  you  will  pardon  me,  sir,"  said  Peter,  "  for  say- 
ing, that  until  this  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  I  do  not 
see  what  our  preachers  can  so  well  do  as  to  make  a  care- 
ful and  entire  preparation  of  their  sermons.  I  have 
believed,  and  do  still  believe,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  blesses 
those  labors  of  the  ministry  which  are  the  result  of  long 
study  and  earnest  prayer ;  and  this  in  spite  of  all  the  suc- 
cess of  modern  evangelists,  so-called,  who  reap  the 
golden  harvest  from  seed  sown  by  men  of  whom  the 
world  has  never  heard." 

"  The  question  you  have  started,  my  brother,  I  have 
often  sought  to  solve,"  replied  Mr.  Howe.  "God  has 
doubtless  made  the  conversion  of  every  man  brought 
home  to  glory  to  be  the  result  of  all  the  influences  attend- 
ing his  existence,  from  the  creation  of  Adam  and  Eve 
to  the  moment  of  his  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 


272  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

Mr.  Ilowe  now  made  some  inquiries  concerning  their 
nativities,  and  of  the  age  in  which  they  had  lived  on 
earth ;  and  next,  of  the  present  state  of  the  churches  in 
North  America.  He  was  well  advised  as  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  churches  up  to  the  opening  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  ;  and  Peter  and  Mrs.  Jay  gave  him  a  full 
narration  of  the  present  state  of  the  churches. 

At  this  point  of  their  colloquy,  they  came  to  a  place 
where  the  avenue  on  which  they  had  been  walking 
diverged,  and  Mr.  Howe  took  leave  of  Mrs.  Jay  and 
Peter,  with  many  kind  expressions  of  the  pleasure  he 
had  derived  from  meeting  with  them. 

Perpetua  joined  them  as  they  were  turning  into  a  new 
path. 

"  I  am  glad  to  have  met  you,  my  friends,"  said  Per- 
petua; "  for  Tibertius  and  Angela  desire  us  to  go  with 
them  on  a  visit  to  a  cei-tain  studio  in  the  metropolis  to- 
morrow. Now  I  hope  you  are  disengaged,  and  can 
accompany  them." 

Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  both  said  they  were  at  liberty, 
and  would  gladly  go  with  Angela  and  Tibertius.  "  How 
pleased  I  am  to  see  Angela  so  happy  here,"  said  Mrs. 
Jay. 

"Angela,"  replied  Perpetua,  "is  fast  regaining  her 
soul's  freedom,  and  I  am  under  obligations  to  Tibertius 
for  his  devotion  to  her  happiness.  It  is  wonderful  how 
perfectly  their  tastes  assimilate.  He  is  never  weary  of 
the  task  I  have  assigned  him,  and  Angela  is  a  delighted 


SCENES   m   ANOTHER   WORLD.  273 

and  docile  pu})!!.     To-morrow,  then,  we  will  go  in  com- 
pany to  the  city  ?" 

Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  having  assented  to  this  engage- 
ment, Perpetua  took  leave  of  them  to  ascend  into  the 
air,  and  meet  some  friends  of  hers  who  beckoned  to  her 
to  join  them,  while  Peter  and  Mrs.  Jay  walked  home- 
ward to  the  Palace  cf  Beauty. 


12* 


274  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN:   OR, 


CHAPTER  Xn. 

Visit  to  the  Studio  of  the  Metropolis — Controversy  between  two  Doctors,  an  Allo- 
pathist  and  Homeopathist,  as  to  their  several  Systems  and  Modes  of  Practice — 
Visit  to  the  Studio  of  a  young  Artist — Mrs.  Jay  makes  a  Discovery — Peter  meets 
Lucia  sitting  on  a  Cloud — Their  Colloquy — Of  the  recent  Meeting  of  Savons  in 
Montreal  for  the  Advancement  of  Science — Lucia  tells  the  Story  of  her  Life— Of 
her  Interview  with  Lady  Alice  De  Vere,  just  from  St.  Barnabas,  in  Pimlico — Story 
of  a  Koman  Saint. 

The  dawn  broke  with  a  cloudless  sky.  Mrs.  Jay  and 
Peter  met  on  the  grand  portico  to  welcome  the  coming 
day.  The  early  hours  are  everywhere  beautiful,  but  no 
words  can  convey  the  loveliness  of  that  hour  of  prime — 
the  freshness  of  the  breeze,  the  fragi-ance  of  the  morn, 
the  music  of  birds ;  and  looking  up  into  heaven,  the  zone, 
which  at  night  turned  toward  the  planet  its  broadside, 
was  now  shelving  its  edge,  lessening  in  width,  until  at 
noon  when  it  appeared  but  as  a  narrow  belt  of  cloud 
across  the  sky ;  and  now  moons  of  various  magnitude, 
and  wearing  different  phases,  were  pahng  before  the 
rising  sun. 

"  To-day,  Peter,"  said  Mrs.  Jay,  "  we  are  to  visit  the 
studios  of  the  metropolis.     I  wonder  I  have  never  yet 


SCENES    IN    ANOTIIEE   WORLD.  275 

walked  into  tlicni  wlien  we  have  been  sight-seeing  in  the 
capital,  for  unlike  our  world,  living  artists  are  here  held 
in  highest  regard." 

"  And  for  a  very  good  reason,  madam.  In  our  world 
we  look  back  to  the  days  of  Pericles  for  the  highest 
development  of  art.  Not  so  here,  where  artists  of  the 
present  day  are  expected  to  reach  to  a  new  grace  of 
form,  or  some  unexpressed  loveliness  of  the  human 
face." 

"  Yes,  that  is  so.  "With  us,  living  artists  are  generally 
mere  copyists,  and  their  works  are  valued  according  to 
the  success  of  their  imitations.  Now  if  a  torso  could 
be  dug  up  at  Athens,  which  could  be  recognized  as  the 
work  of  Phidias,  how  would  the  cognoscenti  of  the  fash- 
ionable world — tourists  of  all  lands — wonder  after  it? 
Men  and  women  of  recent  fuU-blo^\Ti  fortunes,  whose 
taste  is  in  tlie  bud,  would  stand  in  crowds  at  gaze 
before  it ;  as  if  by  the  simple  act  of  staring  they  could 
see  anythiug  else  than  a  bruised  and  battered  mass  of 
marble.     Do  you  not  think  so,  Peter  ?" 

"  No  doubt,"  replied  Peter,  amused  at  the  thought  as 
presented  by  his  lady  friend. 

"  But  here,"  continued  Mrs.  Jay,  "  the  ancient  works 
are  preserved  to  show  the  stages  of  progress  from  the 
infancy  of  art  to  the  perfectibility  of  the  skill  of  the 
present  age.  Now  why  is  this  not  the  case  with  the  Fine 
Arts  in  our  day  ?" 

"  Oh,  because  God  never  made  for  man  sucli  a  climate 


276  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEX;   OR, 

as  that  of  Greece — never  formed  such  a  race  as  those  of 
Attica,  and  never  built  such  a  city  as  Athens :  that  is  the 
reason.  One  of  these  days — I  should  rather  say  when 
many  centuries  have  passed  away — the  race  of  man,  ele- 
vated by  Christianity,  may  reach  a  symmetrical  develop- 
ment, when  sculpture  and  painting  shall  attain  a  higher 
perfection  than  in  the  days  of  Pericles." 

"There  is  one  thing  in  which  we  of  earth  have  a 
decided  advantage  over  the  races  of  all  other  worlds, 
Peter,  and  it  is  this,  that  Ave  arc  sinners  saved.  This 
gives  a  power  to  the  conceptions  of  our  artists,  and  sup- 
plies subjects  for  the  chisel  and  the  pencil  to  which 
these  pure  beings  never  can  reach.  Look  at  the  works 
of  their  great  masters  in  the  galleries  of  this  palace,  and 
in  the  collections  of  the  city,  and  compare  them  with  the 
Avorks  of  the  students  from  earth,  and  see  what  a  world- 
wide difference  there  is  between  the  conceptions  of  these 
different  races." 

"  Certainly  it  is  so,  though  I  have  not  been  aware  of 
this  difference  before.  It  is  the  difference  between 
beauty  and  passion ;  and  now  you  have  spoken  of  this 
contrast,  I  think  there  is  something  of  this  to  be  seen  in 
the  forms  of  the  ancient  and  modern  school  of  art. 
Compare  the  Venus  de  Medici  yviih.  the  Greek  slave. 
The  Venus  is  nothing  but  a  pretty  animal  rising  out  of 
the  ocean  awakening  to  existence ;  while  the  Greek  slave 
is  a  woman,  conscious  of  her  degradation,  and  despising 
those  who  have  bound  her  in  fetters." 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  277 

"  Yes,  Peter ;  it  is  sin  and  suiFering  that  heightens  our 
ideas  of  the  grand  and  the  beautiful.  It  is  our  pre- 
existent  state  which  supplies  our  artists  with  splendid 
subjects  for  their  genius — subjects  which  can  never  be 
fully  understood  and  appreciated  by  the  natives  here,  to 
Avhom  sin  is  unknown ;  and  Avho  can  have  no  adequate 
conceptions  of  what  it  is  to  be  saved  from  sin  and  made 
one  with  God  as  Clirist  and  God  are  one." 

"  No  !  my  lady ;  nor  have  we,  though  redeemed  and 
disenthralled.  We  know  of  our  adoption ;  but  Avhat  the 
privileges  of  adoption  into  the  family  of  God  may  be, 
are  mysteries  forever  revealing  new  and  inconceivable 
wonders  ;  for  so  soon  as  one  mystery  is  solved,  we  meet 
with  mysteries  more  Avonderful  and  inexplicable,  which 
in  some  sort  are  shadoAved  forth  by  those  magical  dis- 
solving lights  which  change  as  one  screen  is  removed 
and  a  new  one  takes  its  place.  We  can  never  find  out 
God  to  perfection.  But  to  return  to  our  topic — the 
forms  of  beauty,  grace  and  goodness  we  see  here,  are  so 
lovely  that  I  have  not  felt  the  need  of  any  of  the  con- 
trasts you  speak  of  to  heighten  my  appreciation  of  the 
works  of  native  artists." 

Angela  now  came  out  upon  the  terrace,  and  was  wel- 
comed Avith  aU  affection. 

"  How  glorious  in  this  world !"  exclaimed  Angela, 
clasping  her  hands  over  her  breast  and  looking  up  into 
the  beautiful  sky:  "  When  I  look  about  me,  Mrs.  Jay, 
and  see  what  loveliness  there  is  in  all  God's  Avorks — Avhat 


278  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPE\;  Oil, 

beauty  there  is  in  his  creatures  around  me,  and  go  back 
in  memory  to  earth,  and  recall  the  gloomy  hours  of  my 
past  life,  and  my  fears  that  because  I  was  so  miserable 
God  did  not  love  me,  my  soul  leaps  up  for  joy  that  I  am 
here ;  free  from  sin  and  sorrow  forever." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,  Angela ;  for  nay  friend 
Peter  sometimes  talks  to  me  of  our  past  life  in  a  way  to 
make  one  think  he  is  sorry  not  to  be  still  on  the  earth." 

"  Indeed  !"  said  Angela,  turning  wdth  a  look  of  sur- 
prise to  Peter  who  replied  to  this  silent  inquiry  of  hers, 
thus : 

"  I  sympathize  with  you,  Angela,  in  the  joy  of  being 
free  from  sin  and  sorrow.  I  am  right  glad  that  the 
enigma  of  life  with  me  is  solved ;  and  that  I  have  safely 
waded  through  all  the  sloughs  of  despond  in  the  course 
of  my  pilgiimage,  and  have  seen  the  Celestial  City. 
What  I  said  to  Mrs.  Jay  yesterday,  was  this — that  I 
regarded  my  life  on  earth  as  a  great  privilege  ;  and  that 
those  who  are  in  possession  of  life,  whatever  may  be  the 
depth  of  their  grief,  ought  to  thank  God  for  life  to  suffer ; 
and  I  ask  you,  Angela,  what  you  have  to  say  to  this  ?" 

Angela  replied,  with  enthusiasm  :  "  I  would  not  have 
had  one  day  of  trial — one  pang  of  sorrow  less  than  I  was 
permitted  to  meet.  Indeed,  I  could  not  have  had  one 
less ;  for  all  were  needed  to  wean  me  from  the  world,  and 
to  compel  me  to  set  my  affections  on  heaven.  Yes  !  ^ 
bless  God  for  all  my  afilictions  as  well  as  for  all  the  many 
mercies  which  were  mine.     My  pathway  in  childhood 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  279 

was  full  of  hope  and  joyful  anticipations ;  but  it  was  grief 
which  fitted  me  for  an  early  departure  from  time,  and 
oj)ened  to  me  eternal  life." 

The  silver  tones  of  the  morning  chimes  now  called 
them  to  the  temple,  and  hastening  down  the  stairway 
into  the  vestibule  of  the  grand  entrance,  they  walked 
out  upon  the  green  turf  in  company  with  himdreds  of 
others;  all  with  joyous  and  elastic  steps,  hastening  to  join 
in  the  glorious  choral  morning  worship  in  the  temple. 

In  this  service  all  the  congregation  of  the  Redeemed 
Joined  in  singmg  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb,  with 
which  the  morning  ritual  opened  ;  then  followed  anthems 
and  hymns  of  praise,  and  an  oration  by  some  one  of  the 
Redeemed  whose  eloquence  fitted  him  to  address  the 
assembly  ;  nor  Avas  there  ever  a  lack  of  gifted  and  glo- 
rious minds  to  discharge  this  duty  to  the  delight  of  the 
audience.  When  the  services  were  ended,  the  morning 
repast  followed,  and  then  the  occupations  of  the  day 
.were  entered  upon. 

In  company  with  many  others,  Tibertius,  Angela,  Per- 
petua,  Laurens,  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter — ascended  fi'om  the 
grand  balcony  of  the  palace  mto  the  air.  Some  were 
about  to  visit  distant  spheres,  others  remote  regions  of 
this  world ;  and  others  agahi,  to  prosecute  their  studies 
at  the  libraries  or  studios  of  metropolitan  cities,  of 
which  there  were  some  thousands  scattered  in  various 
countries  on  this  globe,  as  large  as  that  to  which  our 
friends  were  now  going. 


280  THE  GATES   WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

As  they  slowly  ascended,  it  was  a  pleasant  tiling  to 
those  below  to  gaze  upon  them  in  theii-  flight.  Some- 
times one  would  descend  to  pick  up  a  flower,  or  to  kiss 
a  child  in  the  arms  of  its  mother.  There  was  a  constant 
change  in  these  haj)py  beings,  and  a  playful  conversa- 
tion was  kept  up  as  they  soared  away.  The  most  bril- 
hant  sallies  were  indulged  in,  and  a  war  of  wit  finally 
arose  between  two  doctors  of  medicine — a  homeopathist 
and  an  allopathist,  which  kept  the  entire  company  in 
close  order,  and  was  a  source  of  long-continued  merri- 
ment. 

The  contest  was  concerning  the  fallacies  of  medical 
science  as  exhibited  in  their  several  modes  of  practice ; 
and  so  much  truth  was  told  on  tliis  occasion,  that  it  is  to 
be  regretted  this  colloquy  cannot  be  here  recovered  for 
the  benefit  of  those  who  are  hving,  and  are  destined 
hereafter  to  become  the  victims  of  medical  science 
whichever  method  is  followed ;  as  was  most  satis- 
factorily shown  to  our  voyagers^  As  they  were  noAV. 
over  the  metropolis,  Perpetua  and  her  comjjany  here 
staid  their  flight ;  and  all  clustered  around  her  and  her 
friends,  taking  leave  with  loving  regrets ;  some  of  whom 
expected  to  be  absent  for  weeks  or  months,  and  perhaps 
years. 

"  Before  we  separate,"  said  one  of  the  doctors  who 
had  been  maintaining  this  amusing  controversy,  "wall 
you  not,  St.  Perpetua,  give  us  your  judgment  of  our 
argument  so  fiir  as  you  an  1  your  friends  have  heard  it  ?" 


SCENES    IN    ANOTIIEK    WoKLP.  281 

Perpetua  looked  arouud  to  see  whom  she  should  call 
upon  for  the  verdict  sought  for,  and  bowing  to  Mrs.  Jay, 
she  said :  "  Perhaps  that  lady  Avill  do  you  this  service ;" 
hut  she  declined  and  referred  the  query  to  her  friend 
Schlemilil,  who,  after  some  hesitation,  and  with  great 
modesty  stated  his  views.  So  far  as  he  could  see  into 
the  discussion,  medical  science  was  of  all  sciences  the 
most  dubious  and  uncertain ;  and  the  question  had  been, 
and  Avould  be  for  ages  to  come,  whether  nature  alone 
was  the  more  reliable,  or  nature  aided  by  the  doctor. 
Mr.  Schlemihl  said,  between  doctors  Do-much,  Do-little 
and  Do-nothing,  he  should  certainly  rely  on  the  skill  and 
science  of  Doctor  Do-little.  This  doubtful  decision  gave 
new  grovmds  for  controversy  to  these  doctors,  who  went 
forward  earnestly  discussing  the  vexed  questions  of  their 
fxvorite  science,  while  Perpetua  descended  with  her 
friends  and  alighted  on  the  portico  of  the  gallery  of 
Art. 

On  entering  this  vast  hall,  they  were  received  by  the 
attendants,  artists  of  eminence,  to  whom  is  confided  the 
supervision  of  this  treasure-house  of  sculpture  and  paint- 
ing. Tibertius  and  Angela  led  the  way  as  they  slowly 
Avalked  forward  stopping  at  groups  of  statuary,  which 
were  explained  by  their  attendants,  who  gave  the  name 
of  the  artist  and  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  and  other 
interesting  facts;  all  which  added  greatly  to  the  interest 
of  their  sight-seeing.  It  was  a  matter  of  remark  made 
by  Mrs,  Jay  and  others,  how  wonderful  it  was,  where  all 


2S2  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

seemed  faultless,  that  there  was  so  palpable  a  difference 
in  the  works  before  them ;  and  it  surprised  Angela  and 
Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  that  their  eyes  even  were  so  soon 
able  to  discriminate  variations  so  very  slight.  And  this 
feeling  was  increased  when  they  came  to  a  series  of 
works  where  the  same  subject  was  represented  by  great 
artists  of  different  schools,  and  of  Avidely-separated 
ages;  men  who  spent  years  striving  to  supply  some 
defect  or  to  heighten  the  power  of  expression  of  what 
had  before  been  regarded  perfect. 

Peter  remarked  to  Mrs.  Jay,  that  such  contests  of 
art  would  never  be  known  on  earth ;  for  though  the  form 
of  woman  had  been  and  would  be  recast  and  sculptured 
by  thousands,  yet  the  LaocoOn  would  probably  remain 
alone ;  no  modern  sculptor  Mould  be  likely  to  have  suf- 
ficient rewards  offered  to  induce  him  to  venture  to 
present  that  subject  in  a  new  aspect;  though  no  one 
doubts  the  great  artist  who  conceived  that  work,  had  in 
his  mind  other  concejitions  which  another  and  superior 
genius  might  have  made  yet  more  eloquent  of  agony. 

"  Come,"  said  Angela,  when  they  had  finished  walk- 
ing through  one  of  the  halls  of  sculpture ;  "  now  let  us 
go  and  look  into  the  studios.  Tibertius  has  a  work  in 
hand  which  we  must  all  admire." 

In  compliance  with  this  invitation,  after  having  made 
their   acknowledgments  to   their  couileous   attendants, 
they  left  for  the  studios.     Mrs.  Jay  thought  they  were  ■ 
very  unwise  in  not  going  to  the  workshops  first,  and 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  283 

then  to  have  visited  this  museum  of  the  great  masters. 
But  Angela  and  Tibertius,  who  acted  as  leaders,  said 
they  had  good  reasons  for  the  course  adopted.  Angela 
whispered  to  Peter,  that  in  the  studio  they  shoidd  visit, 
was  to  be  seen  the  work  of  a  young  artist  of  earth— a 
mother  and  her  firstborn  son— who  had  thus  recalled  his 
recollections  of  his  mfoncy  and  of  his  young  mother. 
"  It  is  such  a  sweet  thought,  reaUzed  in  marble !"  ex- 
clauned  Angela ;  "  he  was  but  a  child  when  he  was  taken 
away,  and  when  sent  here  to  be  perfected  in  the  schools 
of  sculpture,  he  determined  his  first  labor  should  be  to 
recover  the  looks  of  his  mother  ;  and  he  has  thus  at- 
tained to  his  highest  hopes,  and  it  is  to  him  a  crowning 
joy  to  have  given  life  to  marble  and  with  such  wonder- 
fid  power  that  it  is  already  regarded  as  a  miracle  of  art ; 
a  work  of  inspiration  and  love." 

"It  is  certamly,"  replied  Peter,  "a  most  beautiful 
expression  of  love ;  pray,  why  do  you  whisper  this  to 
me,  Angela?" 

Angela  laid  her  finger  upon  her  lip  and  turned  away. 
Tibertius  led  them  to  his  studio,  where  they  all  ex- 
pressed their  earnest  admiration  of  his  group  of  Jesus 
and  the  two  Marys,  which  was  his  last  labor  of  love  and 
worship.  They  sat  dowm  on  stools  and  benches,  and 
remained  for  an  hour  in  conversation  concerning  Christ 
and  his  affection  for  Lazarus  and  his  sisters,  of  Avhich 
Tibertius  gave  them  many  examples ;  which,  had  they 
too  been  written  down  with  all  the  words  and  acts  of 


284  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

our  God  and  Saviour,  the  world  could  not  have  con- 
tained the  books  that  would  have  been  written. 

Leaving  his  studio,  Tibertius  next  led  them  to  another, 
hid  from  sight  by  the  shrubbery  of  the  garden.  The 
solitary  artist  was  in  the  dew  of  youth,  verging  to  man- 
hood. He  held  a  file  in  his  hand  and  stood  with  hia 
back  to  the  entrance,  gazing  with  a  fixedness  which 
absorbed  his  whole  being  and  rendered  him  unconscious 
of  the  presence  of  visitors.  Throwing  down  the  file,  the 
aitist  stretched  forth  his  hands  towards  his  work  and 
cried  out  with  a  voice  full  of  emotion :  "  It  is  done !  my 
mother !" 

"  How  like  Mrs.  Jay !"  whispered  Peter  to  Angela. 
This  whisper  reached  the  ears  of  the  artist,  and  with  a 
h)ok  of  wild  intensity  he  glanced  from  face  to  face,  when 
Mrs.  Jay,  who  had  been  stooping  down  to  the  figure  of 
the  boy,  looked  up  at  the  artist  and  with  a  flash  of  per- 
ception, she  rose  and  exclaimed :  "  My  son !".... 
"  My  mother !" 

This  reunion  of  souls  filled  all  present  with  delight. 
Perpetua  leading  the  way,  the  mother  and  son  were 
left  alone.  Objects  of  interest  were  on  all  sides ;  but  so 
entirely  did  they  sympathize  with  Mrs.  Jay,  that  every- 
thing lost  its  power  to  charm,  and  it  was  concluded  to 
return  to  the  studio  of  the  new-found  son.  Here  they 
met  the  happy  son  and  mother.  All  the  longings  of  his 
soul  were  now  satisfied,  and  to  Mrs.  Jay  he  was  a  lost 
treasure  unexpectedly  restored,  whose  value  had  been 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WOKLD.  285 

enhanced  beyond  all  expression.  This  was  her  son,  and 
this  work  of  art  Avas  from  his  chisel. 

It  was  a  pleasing  and  a  salutary  change  for  Mrs.  Jay 
to  receive  the  loving  congratulations  of  her  friends,  and 
in  these  the  son  shared  with  his  mother.  Then  it  was 
that  Tibertius  and  Angela  told  of  their  visit  to  this 
studio,  and  Angela's  discovery  of  the  resemblance  to 
Mrs.  Jay,  and  of  their  plans  to  bring  about  this  happy 
meeting. 

The  party  now  separated.  Tibertius,  Angela  and  Per- 
petua  left  to  make  some  visits  in  the  city,  Mrs.  Jay 
gladly  accompanied  her  son  to  his  residence ;  and  Peter, 
haAdng  nothing  to  do,  rose  mto  the  au*  without  any  defi- 
nite purpose,  and  m  doubt  whether  he  should  wing  his 
flight  to  some  one  of  the  worlds  above  him,  or  enjoy  the 
loveliness  of  the  landscape  over  which  he  was  quietly 
floating,  and  the  delicious  atmosphere  of  the  day.  He 
fell  into  state  of  reverie,  and  so  continued  till  he  heard 
a  voice  calling  to  him.  Rousmg  himself,  he  saw  upon  a 
cloud  near  him,  Lucia,  wife  of  Philo  Publius,  a  bright 
and  charming  lady  with  whom  he  had  met  at  the  jialace. 
With  the  instant  vohtion  prompted  by  her  presence, 
Peter  transferred  himself  to  the  silver  cloud  upon 
which  this  lady  was  seated,  and  was  graciously  "wel- 
comed to  a  seat  on  her  air-cushioned  sofa. 

"I  must  seem  very  idle  here,  Mr.  Schlemihl,"  said 
Lady  Lucia ;  "  but  you  see  I  have  been  aiding  my  hus- 
band in  some  observations  on  electrical  currents ;"  and 


286  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN^   OK, 

SO  saying,  she  held  up  an  electrometer  which  lay  in  her 
lap. 

"  I  am  fearful  I  may  interrupt  you,"  said  Peter. 

"  No,  not  so.  I  have  made  my  last  observation,  and 
was  about  to  descend ;  but  since  you  have  joined  me, 
and  I  have  some  one  to  talk  vrith,  I  will  remain  and 
enjoy  with  you  this  lovely  day,  and  the  pleasure  of  sail- 
ing over  so  beautiful  a  country." 

"  What  observations  have  you  been  making,  madam  ?" 

"My  husband,"  she  replied,  "was  recently  on  our 
earth,  and  attended  a  meeting  of  savans  at  Montreal,  in 
Canada,  for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  and  heard  a 
paper  read  which  was  written  by  a  lady,  upon  tidal  cur- 
rents of  electricity ;  and  since  his  return  he  has  been  test- 
ing its  universality  in  various  worlds;  and  he  teUs  me 
that  the  law  she  has  discovered  stands  related  to  the 
most  important  phenomena  yet  to  be  resolved." 

"  Indeed  ;  a  lady !  and  a  living  lady !  How  glad  I  am 
to  know  the  fact !  And  what  does  your  husband  say  of 
the  condition  of  science  in  America  ?" 

"  He  was  not  gratified  with  what  he  saw  and  heard ; 
for,  in  his  judgment,  there  exists  a  clique  who  assume  to 
be  the  arbiters  of  scientific  reputation  in  North  America. 
They  possess  commanding  positions,  and  do  what  is  pos- 
sible to  dwarf  the  development  of  scientific  scholarship 
to  their  own  proportions.  He  tells  me  that  they  have  so 
little  confidence  in  themselves,  that  no  discovery  is  re- 
ceived until  it  has  been  indorsed  by  European  savans." 


SCENES    IN    AJJJOTHER   WORLD.  287 

"  May  I  ask  if  tlie  laws  of  magnetism  and  electricity 
on  this  globe  give  the  same  phenomena  as  on  ours  ?" 

"  Precisely,  sir ;  my  husband  holds  that  electricity 
represents  the  deity  in  all  systems  and  firmaments  in 
its  life-giving,  diffusive  and  controlling  power.  He  says, 
'  It  is  true  of  all  worlds  as  of  oui's,  that  the  experi- 
ment performed  in  a  watch-glass,  or  before  a  blow-jiipe, 
succeeds  alike,  in  a  great  manufactory,  on  tons  of  matter, 
or  m  the  bosom  of  a  volcano,  upon  millions  of  cubic 
fathoms  of  lava.' " 

"And  the  same  law  which  globes  a  tear  stealing 
down  the  cheek  of  infancy,  governs  and  controls  the 
ocean  ?" 

"  Certainly,  sir.  The  student  of  natural  i)hilosophy 
encounters  numberless  cases  in  which  this  transfer  of 
ideas  from  one  extreme  of  magnitude  to  the  other  will 
be  called  for ;  as  for  example,  Mr.  Schlemihl,  when  you 
are  asked  why  you  cannot  conceive  the  atoms  of  a  grain 
of  sand  to  be  as  remote  from  each  other  (proportionally 
to  their  sizes)  as  the  stars  of  the  firmament ;  and  why 
there  may  not  be  gomg  on  in  that  little  microcosm  jiro- 
cesses  as  complicated  and  wonderful  as  those  of  the  great 
world  around  us.*     The  tremors  of  a  stretched  Mare  and 

*  So  says  Sir  J.  F.  W.  Ilerschell's  "Intro,  to  the  Study  of  Natural  Philosophy," 
p.  130.  The  ingenious  and  unknown  author  of  "  The  Stars  and  the  Earth,"  a  little 
tract  puhlished  in  England  in  18-16,  gives  this  illustration  :  "  Let  us  suppose,  for 
example,  that,  from  the  present  moment,  all  the  measurements  of  the  universe 
were  reduced  to  the  half  of  their  size  and  th<it  all  distances  were  equally  shortened, 
It  would  be  impossible  for  us  to  perceive,  or  indued  to  believe  if  it  were  told  us,  thai 


288  THE  GATES   WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 

the  upheavals  of  an  earthquake  differ  only  in  intensity 
of  electrical  action,  and  God's  wisdom  is  both  illustrated 
and  glorified  by  the  oneness  of  manifestations  of  almighty 
power," 

This  topic  was  discoursed  upon  for  some  time,  when  the 
lady  requested  Peter  to  tell  her  the  history  of  his  life ;  a  re- 
quest constantly  made  hi  the  society  of  the  Redeemed,  as 
directly  leading  to  the  wonder- workmg  providence  of  God 
in  the  salvation  of  the  soul.  When  this  was  completed 
to  the  satisfaction  of  Lucia,  Peter  asked  her  as  to  the 
age  and  country  to  which  she  belonged.  Lady  Lucia 
replied  that  she  was  a  Roman  by  birth,  and  had  lived  in 
the  early  part  of  the  second  century.  This  led  to  some 
remarks  as  to  the  character  of  those  times,  and  as  to 
what  was  then  regarded  essential  to  a  true  faith.  In 
answer  to  Peter's  inquiry,  Lucia  said  she  was  the 
daughter  of  a  Christian  named  Carpophorus,  who  kept 
what  is  now  called  a  Savings  bank  in  the  Piscina  Publica 


:»ny  change  had  happened  to  us,  or  to  the  world  around ;  and  we  might,  like  Gul- 
liver's Liliputians,  fairly  consider  ourselves  perfectly  grown  men.  But  if  every- 
thing was  lessened  a  million  or  a  billion  times,  it  would  be  as  little  noticed  by  us 
as  when  the  reduction  of  all  measurements  to  one  half  of  their  size  took  place; 
and  if  our  system  of  fixed  stars,  with  all  that  it  contains,  was  suddenly  contracted 
to  the  size  of  a  grain  of  sand,  we  should  move  and  exist  with  the  same  freedom 
of  restraint,  and  with  the  same  convenience,  in  that  little  world,  as  we  now  do  in 
this  which  seems  so  large  to  us."  Coleridge  has  made  a  similar  statement,  thus: 
"  It  is  surely  not  impossible  that  to  some  infinitely  superior  being  the  whole  uni- 
verse may  be  as  one  plain— the  distance  between  planet  and  planet  being  only  as 
the  pores  in  a  grain  of  sand,  and  the  spaces  between  system  and  system  no  greater 
than  the  intervals  between  one  grain  and  a  grain  adjacent." 


SCENES  IN  ANOTHER  WORLD.  289 

of  Rome,  and  that  liei-  faith  and  that  of  others  around 
her  was  smiply  this :  "  Jesus  Christ,  the  Sou  of  God,  the 
Saviour  of  sinners."  *  Peter  then  compHmented  her  as 
belonging  to  the  age  of  martyrs,  and  spoke  of  his  high 
veneration  for  the  courage  and  faith  of  Christians  in 
those  days,  when  Lucia  interrupted  him,  saying,  "  Oh 
yes,  Mr.  Schlemilil,  I  know  all  about  it,  and  let  me  tell 
you,  as  an  incitement  to  your  love  and  gratitude  to  God, 
that  he  cast  your  life  in  pleasant  places,  and  in  a  golden 
age ;  in  a  land  of  Sabbaths  and  Sabbath  schools,  of 
Bibles  and  a  Christian  literature.  And  I  tell  you,  my 
brother,  that  there  never  was  a  truer  faith — a  faith  so 
widely  diffused  and  fittmgly  received  into  the  hearts  of 
men ;  never  so  near  conformity  to  Christ ;  never  so 
much  true  godliness  and  good  will  among  men,  as  exists 
m  our  M^orld  at  the  present  day.  And  how  any  person 
possessed  of  the  epistles  written  by  Cyj)rian,  and  others 
in  later  days,  can  talk  of  the  jDristine  purity  of  the  church 
in  the  second  and  third  centuries,  astonishes  me.  I 
assure  you,  my  good  brother,  I  am  not  surpi'ised  when  I 
meet   with   it   in   young   ladies  just   arrived  from  the 

*  The  symbol  of  the  early  Christians,  as  yet  to  be  seen  in  the  catacombs,  was, 
what  is  sometimes  called  by  the  Church  of  Rome,  "  the  monogram  of  Christ," 
and  is  the  figure  of  a  fish.  The  Greek  term  'IX6TS,  or  fish,  is  composed  of  the 
initial  lettera  of  the  sacred  name  and  titles  as  written  in  the  Greek  language  of  our 
Divine  Redeemer ;  in  English  thus,  "  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  our  Saviour." 
This  symbol  of  a  fish  St.  Clement  (a.d.  194)  recommends  to  be  worn  as  a  ring,  say- 
ing, "Such  a  sign  will  prevent  thera  from  forgetting  tlieir  origin— '  buried  with 
Christ  by  baptism.'  "  This  symbol  is  now  becoming  fashionable  with  high  church* 
men,  and  is  wrought  on  altar  cloths,  etc. 

13 


290  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

Church  of  St.  Barnabas,  in  Pimlicp,  London ;  but  such 
language  from  you,  Mr.  Schlemihl,  I  did  not  exj)ect." 

Peter  apologized  for  his  ignorance  as  best  he  could, 
saying  that  aU  writers  and  preachers  of  the  present  day, 
spoke  of  the  early  ages  as  being  full  of  the  grace  of  God 
and  the  enlightenment  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  having 
said  this,  wishing  to  change  the  discourse,  he  asked  of 
whom  did  she  speak  in  alluding  to  ladies  recently  from 
St.  Barnabas  in  Pimlico.     She  replied  : 

"  You  must  first  know,  that  my  husband  and  I  have 
been  residents  in  West-end,  London,  with  one  of  our 
children,  who  belongs  to  the  nobility  of  England  ;  and  his 
sweet  wife  is  a  most  eminent  pietist  of  the  Puseyite 
school.  In  this  way  we  became  personally  acquainted 
with  Pusey,  Newman  and  the  leaders  of  this  attempt  to 
restore  to  the  English  Church  the  dogmas  of  the  Nicene 
age.  My  son  and  his  lovely  lady  were  distinguished  for 
their  piety  and  liberahty  to  the  poor,  and  frequently 
they  drove  to  St.  Barnabas,  in  Pimhco,  on  a  Lord's  day. 
In  this  church  is  to  be  seen  the  nearest  possible  approach 
to  the  ceremonial  of  the  Papal  Church.*  I  was  accus- 
tomed to  go  mth  them,  constrained  by  a  fond  desire  to 
save  them  from  being  satisfied  with  the  husks  of  religion. 
It  is  wonderful  to  me  that  such  high  and  holy  aspirations 

*  Father  Gavazzi  has  lately  addressed  a  letter  to  a  friend  of  his  in  Dublin,  in 
which  he  thus  expresses  himself: — "  Last  Sunday  I  was  in  St.  Barnabas,  Pimlico. 
Horrible  !  horrible  ! !  horrible  ! ! !  All  Popery  transubstantiated  into  a  so-called 
English  service.    It  is  a  great  shame  for  the  bishops  who  support  or  tolerate  it." 


SCENES   m   ANOTHER  WORLD.  291 

can  be  so  mixed  Avith  such  will-M'orship  and  human  con- 
trivance ;  but  God  is  great  and  liis  ways  are  jjast  finding 
out.  So  much,  Mr.  Schlemihl,  by  way  of  preface — 
and  to  show  you  my  acquaintance  with  English  manners, 
and  to  assure  you  of  my  high  appreciation  of  Enghsh 
worth. 

"  Last  evenmg,  I  was  standing  near  one  of  the  doors  of 
entrance,  when  a  lady  whose  air  and  bearing  showed  her  to 
be  a  lady  of  fashion  from  England,  made  her  appearance 
in  company  with  an  angel  with  whom  I  was  acquainted. 
The  lady,  with  English  instinct  of  aversion  to  a  crowd, 
paused  as  she  saw  the  throng  of  the  Redeemed  and  our 
invited  guests,  as  if  she  hesitated  to  enter.  Whereupon 
I  advanced  with  the  frank  courtesy  of  our  present  life  to 
meet  her.  The  lady  slightly  withdrew  and  made  a  low 
courtesy,  which  I  returned  with  one  more  elaborate  and 
formal.  Thus  we  stood,  when  her  angel,  with  a  smiling 
air.  at  this  reproduction  of  the  manners  of  West-end  in 
heavenly  worlds,  led  her  towards  me,  and  with  greatest 
possible  reverence  to  me,  said,  '  Permit  me.  Lady  Alice 
De  Vere,  to  present  you  to  Lucia,  one  of  Christ's  con- 
fessors and  martyrs  of  the  second  century.'  Lady  Alice 
advanced  and  took  my  hand,  and  bowing  over  it  very 
low,  kissed  it.  We  were  soon  enlisted  in  conversation. 
She  asked  me  many  questions  not  altogether  unlike  those 
of  your  own  just  now,  about  the  purity  of  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church  of  the  second  century ;  and  begged  me 
to  present  her  at  my  convenience  to  St.  Zephyrinus  and 


292  THE  GATES  WIDE   0PK:S;   Oil, 

St.  Callistus,  '  the  sainted  bishops  of  Rome  '  of  my  o^\ti 
OAFn  age — just  as  if  such  men  were  to  be  seen  in  a 
heaven  of  holiness  because  they  had  been  poj^es  !  She 
left  me  somewhat  wiser  than  when  she  came ;  and  I  shall 
strive  to  labor  with  her,  and  without  violence  to  her  feel- 
ings, will  save  her  from  the  idols  of  her  imagination." 

"  Pray  tell  me  who  these  saints  of  the  church  were, 
Lady  Lucia,  for  I,  being  a '  dissenter,'  never  heard  before 
of  St.  Zephyrinus  and  St.  CaUistus  ?" 

"  Oh,  they  are  persons  of  no  particular  interest,  except 
to  saints,  '  scarcely  saved,'  of  the  Oxford  school." 

"  But  what  abou.t  these  saints  ?"  asked  Peter,  pertina- 
ciously. 

"  Which  saints,  the  ancient  or  the  modern  ?" 

"  Those  saints  of  the  Roman  calendar  which  are  held 
in  such  request  now-a-days  by  modern  pietists." 

"  Well,  my  dear  sir,  they  are  saints  in  the  calendar 
of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  nowhere  else.  And  as 
you  are  ignorant  of  their  liistory,  I  will  tell  you  of  it. 
When  Victor  was  diocesan  of  Rome,  and  he  was  a 
godly  man,  though  his  name  is  not  on  the  calendar, 
Zephyrinus  was  one  of  his  assistants,  and  on  the  decease 
of  the  patriarch  Victor,  Zephyrinus  became  bishop.  He 
was  a  man  who  loved  bribes,  and  w^as  the  first  to  com- 
pound church  censures  for  money.  This  business  de- 
manded skiU  and  a  go-between,  and  Callistus  was  the  per- 
son selected  by  him,  and  a  most  fitting  person  he  was  for 
that  base  occupation.     He  had  been  a  trusted  slave  of 


SCENES    m   ANOTHER   WOELD. 

my  dear  fatlicr,  and  acted  as  liis  casliier  iii  the  bank  of 
the  Fish  Market,  and  was  thus  the  holder  of  the  earnings 
of  the  poor.  Callistus  absconded  while  my  father  was 
a'way,  and  taking  with  him  as  much  gold  as  he  could 
well  carry,  he  fled  from  Rome.  He  Avas  hotly  pursued 
to  Portus,  where  he  had  embarked  in  a  ship  about  to 
sail,  and  which  was  moored  in  the  middle  of  the  harbor. 
When  Callistus  saw  that  he  was  about  to  be  taken,  see- 
ing no  way  of  escape,  he  threw  himself  overboard,  and  it 
was  Avith  difficulty  he  was  saved  and  delivered  up  to  my 
father  with  his  treasure.  He  was  taken  home  where  ho 
served  an  apprenticeship  to  a  domestic  tread-mill  of  that 
day.  Not  liking  this  service,  he  sought  to  get  rid  of  his 
life,  and  a  most  ingenious  way  he  took  to  accomplish  his 
end ;  and  this  was  by  raising  a  riot  in  a  Jewish  syna- 
gogue, for  which  he  was  transjDorted  to  the  sickly  parts 
of  Sardinia.  After  the  lapse  of  some  time,  Marcia,  the 
mistress  of  Commodus,  the  emperor,  wishing  to  be  kind 
to  the  Christians,  sent  for  Victor  and  asked  what  Christ- 
ians had  been  transported  to  Sardinia,  saying  that  she 
Avould  beg  the  emperor  to  release  them.  Dear  old  Vic- 
tor was  -delighted,  and  made  out  a  list  of  them,  but 
omitted  the  name  of  Callistus,  well  knowing  his  charac- 
ter and  the  crimes  he  had  committed.  Marcia  obtained 
the  letter  of  pardon,  and  Hyacinthus,  a  euuuch  of  the 
palace,  and  also  a  presbyter  of  the  church,  was  dispatched 
to  Sardinia  to  bring  back  the  confessors.  Hyacinthus 
deUvered  his  list,  and  when  Callistus  found  that  his  name 


204  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

was  not  on  it,  he  made  the  governor  believe  it  was  an 
accidental  omission  ;  for  that  of  all  on  the  island,  no  one 
was  personally  acquainted  with  Marcia  but  himself,  and 
that  he  was  the  only  person  in  whom  she  was  interested. 
So  successful  was  he  that  Hyacinthus  was  at  last  induced 
to  demand  his  liberation,  to  which  the  governor,  glad  of 
this  show  of  authority,  readily  acceded,  and  Callistus 
made  his  appearance  once  more  at  Kome.  When  Victor 
was  informed  of  it,  to  save  himself  from  censure  (for  my 
father  was  still  alive),  he  was  seilt  off  to  Antium.  There 
he  remained  until  after  the  death  of  my  father,  when 
Zephyrinus,  who  succeeded  Victor,  sent  for  him  and 
made  him  his  co-adjutor,  and  as  such  he  soon  became  a 
ruling  spirit  in  the  church  ;  for,  as  Zephyrinus  was  both 
stupid  and  ignorant,  he  did  what  he  pleased,  and  when 
his  master  died  he  became,  as  we  now  say.  Pope  of 
Rome.  Such,  Mr.  Schlemihl,  were  some  of  the  saints  of 
my  day,  to  whom  the  sauits  of  your  day  are  so  ready  to 
kneel  for  their  blessing." 

"  I  am  extremely  obliged  to  you  for  this  interesting 
fact  of  the  history  of  your  times.  It  would  serve  to 
open  the  eyes  of  some  blind  folks  if  it  were  repeated 
on  earth." 

"  No  sir,  no !  Men  and  women  love  their  delusions 
and  would  not  believe  it  though  it  were  told  to  them  by 
Hippolytus  himself." 

''•  Hippolytus !  may  I  ask,  Who  was  he  ?" 

"  He  was  the  great  man  of  my  age  in  the  church — 


SCENES   IN    ANOTHEK   WORLD.  295 

the  bishop  of  the  port  of  Rome ;  and  all  I  have  told  you 
is  recorded  in  a  work  of  his  '  On  Heresies.' "  * 

The  further  discussion  of  this  subject  was  suspended 
by  the  coming  of  Publius,  with  whom  they  descended 
and  separated  upon  the  steps  of  the  palace.  Here  they 
were  met  by  Calliste  and  Angela.  When  Publius  and 
Lucia  had  taken  leave,  Calliste,  addressing  Peter  re- 
l^roachfuUy,  asked  hun  how  he  could  have  left  Faustinus 
and  herself  behind,  and  so  deprived  them  of  the  pleas- 
ure of  Avitnessmg  the  reunion  of  Mrs.  Jay  and  her  son. 
Peter  professed  his  ignorance  of  the  purpose  of  their 
visit;  and  that  when  he  entered  the  studio  of  the  young 
artist,  and  while  Mrs.  Jay  was  stooping  to  see  the  child 
in  the  lap  of  the  young  mother,  then  it  was  he  first  saw 
the  resemblance,  and  said  to  Angela :  "  '  Plow  like  Mrs. 
Jay !'  At  that  instant  the  son  and  mother,  with  a  flash 
of  recognition,  embraced  each  other." 

"It  must  have  been  delightful,  and  I  wish  I  had 
shared  in  your  joy ;  but  here  I  have  been,"  said  Calliste, 
"  all  the  day  occupied  with  an  English  lady  of  rank  who 
needs  the  society  of  Perpetua  more  than  our  Angela." 

Angela  smiled  lovingly,  and  said:  "Lady  Alice  will 
soon  give  up  her  idols,  now  that  she  is  away  from  all  the 
influences  which  have  chained  her  soul  to  ritualism." 

Upon  this,  Peter  repeated  what  he  had  just  heard  of 
Lady  AUce  from  Lucia,  saying :  "  how  hard  it  is  for  us 

*  This  work  was  found  in  1S52  in  MS.,  taken  from  monasteries  of  Mount  Athos 
and  was  first  republished  as  a  work  by  Origen. 


296  THE   GATES  WIDE   OPEN;  OR, 

to  leave  ourselves  behind !  Do  you  not  think  so,  An- 
gela ?" 

"  No,  for  I  have  had  no  such  experience ;  for  so  soon 
as  I  was  enlightened,  I  was  a  willing  convert  to  all  the 
unspeakably  precious  revelations  made  to  me  by  St.  Per- 
petua,  as  weU  as  all  which  have  come  to  me  from  all  I 
have  seen  and  all  I  have  heard." 

"  You  are  young  and  docile,  Angela,"  replied  Peter. 

Calliste,  now  taking  Angela  by  the  hand,  proposed 
to  Peter  that  they  should  go  and  repeat  to  Faustinus 
the  adventures  of  the  day. 


SCENES   m   ANOTUER   WOKLD.  297 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Mrs.  Jay  is  recalled  to  Earth  by  Flavianus,  her  Angel,  to  be  present  at  the  Mar- 
riage of  her  Daughter — She  is  accompanied  by  Faustinus  and  Calliste,  Peter 
and  her  Son — Sights  seen  on  the  Journey — The  Records  of  Eternity — A  World 
on  Fire — On  reaching  the  Milky-way  they  have  a  Vision  of  Paradise  before  the 
Creation  of  Adam — Scenes  passing  before  them  to  the  Ascension  of  Christ — 
Flavianus  explains  how  the  Air  holds  a  Record  of  all  Events  from  the  beginning 
of  Creation — They  alight  at  the  Home  of  Mrs.  Jay. 

Days  and  weeks  aucl  months  flew  by  and  found  Mrs. 
Jay  and  her  friend  Peter  absorbed  by  the  pleasures  of 
their  life  in  this  world  of  loveliness.  Their  studies  were 
pursued  with  delight ;  and  in  every  new  discovery,  the 
harmonies  of  creation  filled  them  with  unspeakable  joy, 
as  they  caught  the  clue  leading  them  through  labyrinths 
of  wonders  into  the  light  of  a  higher  law — one  of 
greater  simplicity,  all  ahke  tending  to  that  one  voHtion 
— the  great  decree  in  which  the  wisdom  and  power  of 
tlie  Creator  is  concentrated. 

This  perilous  task,  as  it  would  have  been  to  them 
once,  was  now  a  labor  of  love,  full  of  gladness,  revei'- 
ence  and  devotion ;  shared  by  all  holy  beings,  who,  while 
they  are  forever  approaching,  never  reach  the  infinitude 
of  God's  perfectability. 

13* 


298  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

Their  first  study  was,  with  Perpetua  for  a  teacher,  to 
reach  the  philosophy  of  the  Sublime  and  the  Beautiful ; 
and  they  rose  gradually  to  a  true  sympathy  with  Art, 
so  that  pictures  they  had  once  passed  by  unheeded,  now 
riveted  their  attention  in  earnest  study  to  obtain  the 
full  conceptions  of  the  artist. 

After  a  day  devoted  to  the  architecture  of  the  temple, 
St.  Perpetua  and  our  friends  returned  to  the  palace  and 
joined  the  happy  groups  sitting  upon  the  balcony,  talk- 
ing over  various  topics  of  interest ;  and  of  these  there  is 
never  any  lack :  for  some  work  of  art  has  reached  its 
comj)letion,  some  poem  has  been  published,  some  new 
world  has  been  visited,  some  eminent  man  of  the  early 
ages  has  arrived ;  and  thus  m  these  homes  of  the  happy, 
topics  of  pleasant  converse  are  forever  occurring  to  give 
zest  to  their  social  life. 

Persis  now  came  with  a  message  from  Calliste,  to  Mrs. 
Jay  and  Mr.  Schlemihl,  requesting  them  to  come  to  her. 
To  this  they  at  once  assented,  and  insisted  on  taking 
their  loved  Perpetua  with  them.  On  entering  the  par- 
lor of  Faustinus  and  Calliste,  what  was  the  joyful  sur- 
prise of  Mrs.  Jay  to  see  her  own  angel,  Flavianus, 
standing  with  her  son  in  expectation  of  her  coming. 
With  a  cry  of  joy,  Mrs.  Jay  embraced  her  guardian 
angel,  and  then  presented  hhn  to  Perpetua  and  Peter. 

"  I  have  come  to  take  you  back  to  earth,"  said  the 
angel. 

Mrs.  Jay  started — "  Take  me  back  to  earth !   pray, 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHEK   WORLD.  299 

what  liave  I  doue  to  be  banished  from  this  paradise  of 
God?" 

"  Nothing,  dear  lady ;  but  I  have  a  mission  to  take 
you  home  that  you  may  be  present  at  the  marriage  of 
your  and  my  beloved  Augusta." 

"  Married !  my  child  to  be  married,  and  so  soon !  Oh, 
what  inflxtuation  and  folly !  She  is  only  seventeen,  Cal- 
liste ;  and  she  is  to  be  married,  all  because  I  was  not 
there  to  save  her  from  making  the  wretched  exchange 
of  the  pleasures  of  girlhood  for  the  cares  of  married 
life.     O,  it  is  pitiable !" 

"  I  see  nothing  so  very  dreadful,"  replied  Calliste ;  "  I 
think  your  dear  child  shows  excellent  judgment." 

"  To  me  it  is  madness.  What  folly  to  give  up  such  a 
home  as  hers  has  been,  and  the  love  of  her  father,  for 
this  stranger,  whom  a  year  since  she  did  not  so  much  as 
know !" 

"Mother,"  said  her  spn,  archly,  "what  is  there  so 
fearful  m  marriage  ?" 

"You  are  a  child  of  heaven,  Willy,  and  h;vi»ji!y,  you 
know  nothing  of  life." 

"  Are  you  not  unlike  all  the  rest  of  the  world,  my  sis- 
ter ?"  asked  Perpetua.  "  I  was  charmed  to  be  present 
at  my  son's  wedding,  and  I  think  you  Avill  come  back 
delighted  with  all  you  see  and  hear.  Think,  my  dear 
Mrs.  Jay,  of  mixing  once  more  in  the  circle  of  your 
friends ;  seeing  them  and  hearing  them  talk." 

"  It  may,  perhaps,  be  pleasant ;  but  how  can  I  but  be 


300  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

sorry  that  my  husband  is  so  soon  to  lose  the  society  of 
his  only  child ;  and,  indeed,  that  she  can  love  any  one  so 
well  as  her  father." 

"  God  will  provide  !"  said  Perpetua,  with  a  smile,  and 
this  encouraged  Faustinus  to  say  something  about  the 
leadings  of  the  affections  and  the  will  of  God.  Even 
old  Pindar,  two  thousand  three  hundred  years  ago,  thus 
sung  of  the  decrees  of  heaven : 

"  When  the  Gods  lead 


Short  is  the  road,  and  swift  the  deed." 

"  I  thmk,"  continued  Faustinus,  "  your  Augusta  is  but 
following  in  the  footsteps  of  aU  her  parents,  from  Eve 
down  to  Mrs.  Jay  herself.  And  who  should  marry  but 
the  young  ?  It  is  as  God  wills  it,  and  wills  it  wisely  and 
well." 

"  Sufficient !"  said  Mrs.  Jay.  "  I  see  I  have  neither 
countenance  nor  sympathy  from  any  one  of  you.  When 
do  we  leave,  Flavianus  ?" 

"  To-morrow  before  sun-rising  we  depart,  in  order 
that  we  may  reach  your  house  as  early  as  nine  o'clock  in 
the  evening ;  and  I  doubt  not  I  can  make  this  voyage 
across  the  abysm  a  source  of  instruction,  if  not  of 
pleasure.     There  are  sights  worth  seeing  as  we  go." 

"  You  will  let  me  take  my  son  wath  me  ?"  asked  Mrs. 
Jay. 

"  Certainly." 

"  And  aUow  me  to  foUow,"  said  Mr.  Schlemihl. 


I 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WOKLD.  301 

"  Not  to  please  me,  friend  Peter,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  Then  let  me  go  to  please  myself ;  for  I  have  a  deep 
interest  in  the  future  of  Augusta,  and  have  no  higher 
wish  for  her  happiness  on  earth  than  to  see  her  married 
to  one  worthy  of  such  an  angel." 

"  Thank  you,  Peter,"  said  Mrs.  Jay.  "  You  have  not 
forgotten  the  language  of  compliment." 

"  What  else  could  he  have  said,  madam  ?"  asked 
Faustinus.  "In  what  better  phrase  could  love  and 
friendship  and  high  esteem  be  expressed  ?" 

Mrs.  Jay  consented  to  receive  the  compliments  of  her 
friend  Peter  to  oblige  her  friends,  at  their  full  value. 

"  Will  you  not  go  with  us,  Faustinus  and  Calliste  ?" 
asked  Mrs.  Jay.  "  You  have  not  seen  Rome  for  so  many 
centuries,  I  should  think  you  would  revisit  it  with  great 
interest." 

"  I  should  like  to  go  very  much,  Mrs.  Jay  ;  and  why 
not  Faustinus  ?"  asked  Calliste. 

"  I  will  go,  dearest,  with  all  pleasure,  if  it  pleases  you ; 
but  we  have  few  attractions  to  earth  now." 

"  Yes,  Faustinus,  but  we  can  never  cease  to  be  inte- 
rested in  the  battle-field  of  the  universe  of  God.  Shall 
we  go  ?"  and  Faustinus,  with  a  smile,  consented,  to  the 
great  joy  of  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter.  Then  they  asked  Per- 
petua  to  go  along,  but  she  had  duties  which  kept  her  at 
the  palace. 

Peter  took  his  leave  of  the  company  to  go  and  seek 
out  Laurens,  if,  perhaps,  he  too  would  return  to  earth 


302  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

for  a  short  stay ;  and  it  was  agreed  to  meet  on  the  bal- 
cony of  the  east  front  before  sunrise  next  morning. 

The  day  broke  with  a  clear  sky.  Our  travellers 
stood  admiring  the  beauty  of  the  morning,  when  St. 
Perpetua  and  Laurens  joined  them  to  see  them  take 
their  flight,  and  to  bid  them  God-speed.  Laurens 
wished  Peter  to  visit  his  wife,  and  Perpetua  had 
like  requests  of  Faustinus  and  Calhste  concerning  her 
descendants  residing  in  Italy.  While  thus  occupied, 
quite  a  group  of  the  Redeemed  gathered  around  them, 
and  each  had  some  graceful  word  of  parting.  It  was  a 
matter  of  congratulation  with  aU  to  be  assured  by  Mrs. 
Jay  that  it  was  her  irreversible  purpose  to  return  to  the 
palace  without  loss  of  tune. 

"  Come,"  said  Flavianus,  "  the  morning  star  is  paling 
before  the  coming  day  ;  let  us  go." 

With  a  last  kiss,  Perpetua  and  Mrs.  Jay  separated,  and 
in  an  instant  the  i^arty  rose  with  the  swiftness  of  angels 
into  the  air.  Having  far  surmounted  the  atmosphere  of 
the  world  of  Art  and  Beauty,  Flavianus  indicated  the 
direction  they  were  to  take.  To  the  eyes  of  Mrs.  Jay 
.and  Peter,  all  was  dark  about  them,  while  at  immeasur- 
able distances,  above,  below  and  around,  lay  firmaments, 
scattered  like  autumnal  leaves,  whose  nebulous  light  wore 
every  variety  of  form  and  intensity.  The  souls  of  aU 
were  alike  hushed  into  silence  in  presence  of  such  Om- 
nipotence.   It  was  an  emotion  too  deep  for  words. 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  303 

Thus  they  flew  onwards,  when,  nearmg  a  nebula,  clus- 
tering with  suns,  Flavianus  rested,  while  Faustinus  and. 
Calliste,  who  were  some  distance  behind,  came  up ;  he 
then  pointed  out,  in  a  vast  system  into  which  they  were 
about  to  enter,  a  spot  intensely  bright. 

"  There,"  said  he,  "  is  a  world  on  fire.  In  passing 
through  this  firmament,  I  shall  lead  you  near  that  confla- 
gration, which  will  show  you  the  closing  scene  of  your 
o^vn  earth."  * 

Soon  they  reached  the  verge  of  this  system  of  suns, 
which  lay  scattered  aromid  and  formed  the  broken  edge 
of  the  nebula.  Next,  they  were  in  the  denser  sections, 
and  suns  with  their  planets  lay  so  near  that  the  ellipses 
described  by  planets  of  one  sun  ranged  within  the 
planetary  circles  of  another ;  and  here  it  was  that  the 
central  sun  of  a  magnificent  planetary  system  was  being 
destroyed  by  fire,  the  flames  of  which,  reaching  high 
beyond  its  atmosphere,  were  kindling  into  flame  the 
nearer  planets  and  their  satellites — so  threatening  the 
destruction  of  that  entire  planetary  system. 

The  blaze  of  that  vast  conflagration  shone  far  into 
space,  with  a  baleful  glare,  on  all  sides. 

"  'Tis  fearfully  grand !"  exclaimed  Calliste  ;  a  senti- 
ment echoed  by  o^Tr  travellers. 

"  How  inexplicable,  that  this  should  ever  happen !" 
said  Mrs.  Jay. 

*  Tyche  Brahe,  1597,  discovered  in  the  constellation  of  the  Ship,  a  world  on  fire, 


304  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  I  suppose,  my  sister,"  said  Flaviauus,  smiling  as  he 
spoke,  "  no  such,  contingency  wou^ld  have  occurred  had 
you  been  the  creator.  Hereafter  you  will  learn  that 
these  are  but  parts  of  his  ways  ;  but  how  little  a  portion 
is  heard  of  him  ?  and  the  thunder  of  his  power,  who  can 
understand  ?" 

"  I  am  silenced,  Flavianus,"  replied  Mrs.  Jay,  sub- 
missively. 

As  they  passed  beyond  the  last  star  of  this  cluster  of 
suns,  Faustinus  said  to  Calliste :  "  Here  is  one  of  the 
wonders  of  creation  lying  before  us,  and  when  we  reach 
its  verge  of  history,  we  will  run  down  the  line  of  its 
development." 

This  they  did ;  and  in  doing  so  they  spoke  of  seeing  its 
various  stages  of  progress,  when  great  deeps  were 
broken  up,  and  mountains  rising  out  of  the  beds  of 
oceans,  pierced  high  the  heavens ;  and  all  this  in  the 
sjoace  of  a  half  hour.  Faustinus  and  Calliste,  as  well  as 
Flavianus,  were  all  absorbed,  leaving  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter 
to  listen  to  what  they  were  telling,  without  the  least 
glimpse  of  the  objects,  vast  and  wonderful,  which  seemed 
within  the  scojie  of  their  vision. 

"  Do  I  go  too  rapidly,  Calliste  ?"  asked  Flavianus. 

"At  times  objects  and  events  run  so  close  together 
that  I  have  no  very  clear  apprehension  of  what  I 
see." 

"  Pray,  what  events  and  objects  do  you  speak  of,  Cal- 
liste ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay ;  "  for  I  see  nothing  but  nebulae, 


SCENES   IN    ANOTHER    WORLD.  305 

whose  light  is  drawn  out  into  streamers  across  the  depths 
of  sj^ace  by  the  rapidity  of  our  flight," 

Flavianus  answered  Mrs.  Jay  by  telling  her  that  she 
was  yet  to  be  educated  into  the  powers  of  her  spiritual 
nature ;  and  that  he  would  this  day  give  her  her  first  les- 
son in  reading  the  stories  of  creation  and  the  histories  of 
worlds ;  but  as  it  was  necessary  to  reach  her  house  by 
nine  o'clock,  he  must  defer  this  pleasure  till  they  had 
come  within  the  nebula  in  which  her  sun  would  be  seen 
but  as  one  of  the  stars  with  Avhich  the  skies  are  paved. 
"  The  scenes  which  are  present  to  my  mind,"  said  Flavi- 
anus, "  Avith  the  distinctness  of  reality,  and  which  Faus- 
tinus  and  Calliste  discern  hnperfectly,  pass  too  rajDidly 
for  you  to  take  cognizance  of  I  purpose  you  shall  soon 
make  your  first  essay  in  the  development  of  this  latent 
poAver ;  one  of  many  which  lie  in  your  bosoms  as  yet  un- 
known, waiting  for  development  to  confer  delight."  * 

*  Dante  (Canto  ii.  Paradise)  enters  the  moon  under  the  guidance  of  hig  loved 
Beatrice,  and  like  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter,  his  vision  is  dull : 

"  Turning  to  me,  with  aspect  glad  as  fair 
1  Beatrice  spake  :  '  Gratefully  direct  thy  mind 

To  God,  through  whom  to  this  first  star  we  come.'  " 

Dante  describes  his  sensations  after  landing : 

"  Me  seemed  as  if  a  cloud  had  covered  us  ;" 

And  asks   Beatrice  to  explain  the  scenes-  about   them.      Beatrice  "somewhat 
smiled,"  he  saj's,  as  she  replied, 

"  Mortals  err 

In  their  opinion,  when  the  key  of  sense 

Unlocks  not." 


306  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

After  this,  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  followed  on  in  silence, 
wondering  what  new  sense  was  about  to  he  revealed  in 
them.  System  on  system  first  glowed  in  the  depths  of 
space,  then  filled  the  heavens  with  radiance  as  they  took 
their  way  through  the  densest  centres  of  magnificence ; 
and  by  and  by  they  looked  back,  and  saw  a  firmament, 
but  as  filmy  a  cloudlet  as  any  of  the  millions  they  had 
seen  along  their  pathway. 

Flavianus  paused.  "  We  are  now  nearing  your  home, 
and  with  all  pleasure  I  shall  redeem  my  promise,  and 
show  you  the  enduring  records  made  in  accordance 
with  the  laws  of  God,  by  which  every  look  and  action  is 
j)erpetuated  to  all  eternity.  Do  you  not  see  that  nebula, 
in  form  resembling  a  serrated  leaf,*  lying  on  the  abyss 
of  darkness  ?" 

"  That  little  flake  of  light  1"  cried  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  Yes,  madam ;  and  when  we  shall  have  reached  the 
stars,  only  seen  from  earth  by  mortal  eye  when  aided  by 
the  Rosse  telescope,  we  shall  there  meet  the  rays  of  fight 


She  compares  his  then  condition  of  soul,  to  the  ground  covered  over  with  snow, 
which  when  dissolved  by  the  warm  rays  of  the  sun,  is  revealed  ;  she  says  : 


-"  So  thee, 


Dismantled  in  thy  mind,  I  will  inform 

With  light  so  lively,  that  the  tremulous  beam 

Shall  quiver  where  it  falls." 

The  word  dismantled  is  here  used,  to  throw  open,  to  divest,  to  disrobe. 
*  So  described  and  mapped  by  Sir  W.  Herschell.    See  "  Nichors  Architecture  of 
the  Heavens,"  London  edition,  p.  21. 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WOELD.  307 

which  left  the  earth  on  the  day  that  Adam  woke  into 
life."* 

"  Will  you  please  explain  this  mystery,"  asked  Mrs. 
Jay. 

"  It  will  he  best  explained  by  what  you  will  see ;" 
and  so  saying,  Flavianus  set  forward  with  such  ra- 
pidity, that  the  stray  stars  of  their  own  firmament,  into 
which  they  were  now  penetrating,  once  more  became 
mere  streamers  of  hazy  light  to  the  sight  of  our  travel- 
lers. 

Flavianus  now  called  \ipon  his  companions  to  halt. 
"We  are  now,"  he  said,  "in  the  highest  spot  of  the 
Milky-way,  near  the  Scorpion.  The  suns  in  sight  were 
oncd  to  your  vision  the  diamond  dust  of  the  skies.  I  wiU 
leave  you  for  a  moment,  in  order  to  find  the  line  of 
reflected  light  from  earth." 

Flavianus  soon  rejoined  them,  saying,  "  I  have  found 
the  line  of  rays."  Taking  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter  by  the 
hand,  he  cried  out,  "  See,  yonder  is  Eden !" 

It  was  long  before  either  Peter  or  Mrs.  Jay  could,  so 
to  speak,  get  the  focus  of  vision ;  when  they  did,  what 
was  their  delightful  surprise  to  look  down  upon  Paradise 
instantly  before  them  in  all  its  beauty !  Receding  with 
exact  conformity  to  the  laws  of  light,  the  objects  in  view 

*  Struve  concludes,  from  the  dimensions  of  his  telescope,  etc.,  that  the  smallest 
stars  visible  to  him  are  at  a  distance  of  twenty-three  thousand  billions  of  miles,  and 
require  a  period  of  time  for  the  travelling  of  light  to  the  earth  as  great  as  four 
thousand  years.— r/w  Stars  of  the  Earth,  p.  14. 


308  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

Stood  before  them,  and  so  near,  that  the  wing  of  a  hum- 
ming-bird, instead  of  being  viewless  from  the  rapidity  of 
its  vibrations,  could  be  examined,  and  its  beauties  all 
seen. 

"  This  is  magical !"  cried  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  This  is  real,"  replied  Calliste,  who,  with  Faustinus, 
obeying  the  same  laws  of  movement,  in  receding,  saw 
objects  with  like  distinctness.* 

"  Where  are  Adam  and  Eve  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  They  are  not  yet  created,"  replied  Faustinus  ;  "  but 

*  The  author  of  "  The  Stars  of  the  Earth  "  first  developed  these  ideas  of  the 
optical  reactions  of  light.  He  says ;  "  The  pictures  of  every  occurrence  propagate 
themselves  into  the  distant  ether,  upon  the  wings  of  a  ray  of  light ;  and  although 
they  become  weaker  and  smaller,  yet,  in  the  immeasurable  distance,  they  still  have 
form  and  color ;  and  as  everything  possessing  color  and  form  is  visible,  so  must 
these  pictures  also  be  said  to  be  visible,  however  impo^ible  it  may  be  for  the  human 
eye  to  perceive  it  with  the  hitherto  discovered  optical  instruments."  Again  he 
eays  :  "  Thus  the  universe  incloses  the  pictures  of  the  past,  like  an  indestructible 
and  incoiTuptible  record  containing  the  purest  and  the  clearest  truth.  And  as  sound 
propagates  itself  in  the  air,  wave  after  wave,  and  the  stroke  of  the  bell,  or  the  roar 
of  the  cannon,  is  heard  only  by  those  who  stand  nearest  in  the  same  moment  when 
the  clapper  strikes  the  bell,  or  the  powder  explodes  ;  but  each  more  distant  spec- 
tator remarks  a  still  greater  interval  between  the  light  and  the  sound,  until  the 
human  ear  is  no  longer  able  to  perceive  the  sound  on  account  of  the  distance, 

so  in  like  manner,  according  to  our  ideas,  the  pictures  of  every 

occurrence  propagate  themselves  into  the  distant  ether,  upon  the  wings  of  a  ray 
of  light,"  page  31.  "  Let  us  imagine  an  observer,  with  infinite  powers  of  vision,  in 
a  star  of  the  twelfth  magnitude.  He  would  see  the  earth  at  this  moment  aa  it 
e.\istod  in  the  time  of  Abraham,"  p.  38. 

"  Man  is  mortal,  he  thinks  and  he  feels.  These  are  three  separate  and  different 
truths,  according  to  our  ordinary  ideas.  But  the  difiference  only  depends  upon  the 
fact,  that  our  mind  is  not  able  at  once  and  completely  to  grasp  the  idea  of  man, 
with  all  its  consequences,"  p.  62. 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  309 

I  will  advance  and  show  you  them  as  they  were  seen  by 
their  Creator  on  their  wedding-day." 

"  That  vi-ill  be  delightful,"  said  Mrs.  Jay. 

When  they  next  paiised,  there  stood  before  them 
Adam  and  his  Eve.  She  had  just  been  led  to  her  hus- 
band, and  all  that  Milton  by  inspiration  has  pictured  was 
present  before  them. 

Mrs.  Jay  remonstrated  against  being  hurried  out  of 
Paradise ;  but  Flavianus  advanced,  and  when  he  paused, 
the  garden  was  no  more.  The  rude  homes  of  Adam 
and  his  families  were  seen  scattered  over  a  mountainous 
landscape,  covered  with  flocks  and  herds.  They  saw 
Cain  and  Abel  building  their  altars  of  stone  on  the  brow 
of  a  steep  hill  which  rose  in  sight  of  the  dwelling-place 
of  Adam.  The  offerings  having  been  made,  God  an- 
swered Abel  by  fire  upon  the  altar  of  his  burnt  offering.* 
"  Come  nearer,"  said  Flavianus,  and  they  beheld  with 
terror,  the  look  of  horror  which  flashed  over  the  face  of 
Abel  as  he  received  his  death-blow.  They  stood  next 
before  the  ai-k.  Astonishment  and  anxiety  sat  upon 
the  faces  of  the  multitude  of  those  who  had  built  it 
for  Noah,  and  whom  they  had  regarded  as  demented, 
now  that  they  saw  the  strange  mai'ch  of  wild  and  tame 
animals  up  the  staging  leading  into  it.  Wlien  next 
they  halted,  all  was  a  watery  waste,  and  the  ark  was 
seen  floating  in  the  far  distance. 

Renewing  their  flight,  Flavianus  paused  to  show  them 

*  So  David  was  honored  by  God.— 1  Cliron.,  xxi.  26. 


310  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

Abraham,  with  his  only  son  Isaac,  in  the  act  of  disbur- 
dening his  ass  of  the  wood  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Moriah, 
and  placing  it  upon  Isaac,  while  he  took  fire  and  his  sacri- 
ficial knife ;  when  Isaac,  as  if  the  thought  had  first  pre- 
sented itself  to  his  mind,  said :  "  my  father,  here  is  the 
fire  and  the  wood,  but  where  is  the  lamb  for  a  burnt 
ofiering,"  The  words  they  did  not  hear;  but  they 
knew  by  intuitive  knowledge  the  thought  spoken ;  and 
Abraham,  with  grief  in  every  feature,  re^^lied :  "  My 
Bon,  God  will  provide  himself  a  lamb." 

Reaching  the  top  of  the  hill,  Abraham,  assisted 
by  Isaac,  built  an  altar  of  stones  and  laid  the  wood  in 
order.  Then  it  was,  the  father  told  his  son  the  will  of 
heaven  concerning  him ;  words  which  drove  the  blood 
from  the  cheeks  of  his  boy,  who,  without  a  struggle, 
submitted  to  be  bound  and  laid  upon  the  altar.  This 
childlike  acquiescence,  so  instant  and  sudden,  extending 
even  to  giving  up  life  itself,  seemed  to  our  travellers  not 
surpassed  by  the  obedience  of  the  father  to  the  will  of 
Jehovah.  They  saw  (for  in  effect  they  stood  beside  that 
altar),  the  agonies  of  soul  in  Abraham  as  he  lifted  up  his 
arm ;  and  Isaac,  shrinking  and  shuddering,  closing  his 
eyes  in  terror  of  the  knife  impending  over  him.  Then 
it  was  the  divine  glory  shone  down  upon  the  type  of 
the  Lamb  of  God,  who  was  crucified  two  thousand  years 
after,  uj^on  that  very  spot.  Leaving  that  wonderftil 
scene,  they  now  paused  to  look  doA\Ti  upon  David  with 
his  sling  advancing  to  slay  Goliah.     This  was  an  event  of 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD,  311 

singular  interest  to  Mrs.  Jay,  "^  lio  wanted  to  see  more 
of  David's  life ;  but  Flavianus  moved  rapidly  on,  saying : 
"We  have  the  Son  of  Da\'id  yet  to  see ;"  and  when  they 
next  paused,  they  stood  uj)on  the  plains  of  Betlilehem, 
beside  the  shepherds  with  their  flocks ;  and  lo,  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  came  down  out  of  heaven  and  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  shone  round  about  them.  When  the  good 
tidings  were  told,  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  hosts 
descending,  sang  the  anthem  of  joy  to  all  people  and 
recedmg  into  heaven  were  seen  no  more.  With  joy 
they  accompanied  the  shepherds  and  saw  the  babe  lying 
in  a  manger.  It  was  of  all  thmgs,  lovely  to  gather 
aroimd  the  cradle  of  their  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  catch 
his  smile  of  innocency,  and  watch  the  face  of  the  virgin 
mother  gazing  upon  her  firstborn  son,  with  love  mingled 
with  awe.  Calliste  and  Mrs.  Jay  were  reluctant  to  leave 
a  scene  alike  beautifid  to  all,  but  to  Calliste  and  Mrs. 
Jay  it  was  divine.  Then  followed  in  fast  succession  the 
adoration  of  the  magi  and  the  flight  into  Egypt,  the 
baptism  in  Jordan,  and  the  mysterious  temptation  in  the 
wilderness,  and  the  public  ministry  of  their  great  God 
and  Saviour  to  the  day  of  his  ascension. 

Flavianus  told  them  they  must  not  linger  on  their 
way,  at  which  both  Peter  and  Mrs.  Jay  remonstrated. 
Flaiianus  answered :  "  We  must  proceed.  You  can  at 
any  time,  and  to  all  eternity,  thus  live  over  the  life  of 
your  glorious  Saviour  from  his  cradle  to  his  ascension ; 
and  not  of  his  life  only,  but  of  your  own  and  of  all  that 


312  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

have  lived  in  all  time  and  in  all  worlds.  Do  you  not 
think,  my  sweet  lady,"  said  he,  tm'ning  to  Mrs.  Jay, 
"  that  you  ^voll  find  full  occupation  m  all  the  cycles  of 
eternity  ?  You  once  thought  you  would  some  time  or 
other  become  weary — ennuyed  of  heaven  itself." 

"  Oh,  yes !  but  I  was  on  earth  then,  and  I  had  been 
taught  to  entertain  repulsive  ideas  of.  a  future  state,  in 
which  (so  I  was  led  to  believe)  all  the  relationships 
of  earth  ceased  ;  that  I  should  never  again  recognize  my 
friends,  or  if  I  did,  I  should  not  feel  any  more  of  friend- 
ship for  one  than  for  another  ;  and  then,  I  was  to  live  in 
a  state  of  beatific  vision  of  God,  and  so  be  forever  chang- 
ing into  his  likeness  ;  forever  thirsting  after  God ;  which 
Dante  describes  as 

"  '  The  increate  perpetual  thirst,  that  draws 
Toward  the  reahn  of  God's  own  form.'  * 

But  I  was  a  child  then,  and  I  spake  as  a  child ;   but 

*  Dante  :  "  Paradise,"  canto  ii. 

"It  is  not,  indeed,  expressly  asserted,  but  seems  rattier  to  be  supposed  and 
implied,  in  the  expression  and  thoughts  of  most  persons  on  this  subject,  that  the 
heavenly  life  will  be  one  of  inactivity,  and  perfectly  stationary ;  that  there  will 
be  nothing  to  be  done,  nothing  to  be  learnt,  no  advances  to  be  made  ;  nothing 
to  be  hoped  for  ;  nothing  to  look  forward  to,  except  a  continuance  in  the  very 
state  in  which  the  blest  will  be  placed  at  once.  Now,  this  is  far  from  being  an 
alluring  view  to  minds  constituted  as  ours  are.  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  contem- 
plate such  a  state— even  with  the  most  perfect  assent  of  the  understanding  to  the 
assertion,  that  it  will  be  exquisitely  happy— still,  I  say,  it  is  impossible  for  such 
minds  as  oiirs  to  contemplate  such  a  state,  without  an  idea  of  tediousness  and 
wearisomeuess  forcing  itself  upon  them." — Archbishop  Whately's  Future  State, 
p.  210. 


4 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WOELD.  313 

now,  I  have  put  away  such  childish  thouglits  of  God's 
plans  for  man's  future  development," 

As  they  proceeded  on  their  way,  Mrs.  Jay  and  Peter 
discoursed  with  their  companions  in  travel  of  the  wonder- 
ful laAv  by  which  the  actions  of  the  past  were  recovered ; 
and  which  had  been  revealed  to  them  so  unexpectedly 
since  their  entrance  into  theii'  own  firmament.  With 
one  consent,  Peter  and  Mrs.  Jay  agreed  to  live  along 
the  Unes  of  reflected  rays  of  the  life  of  Christ  and  of 
the  great  apostles,  before  they  returned  to  their 
studies. 

Flavianus  spoke  :  "  Not  only  has  God,  the  Creator, 
constituted  ether  an  imperishable  record  of  the  past  by 
the  reflection  of  light ;  but  he  has  in  like  manner  written 
our  actions  upon  earth,  air  and  ocean,  which  are  the 
eternal  witnesses  of  the  acts  done  in  each." 

Peter,  addressing  Flavianus,  asked :  "  Is  the  air  itself 
one  vast  library  on  whose  pages  are  forever  written  all 
that  man  has  said  or  woman  whispered  ?" 

"  Stop,  Flavianus !  pray  do  not  reply  to  my  friend 
Peter  till  he  takes  back  his  ofifensive  words ;  '  men  have 
said  and  woman  whispered  !'  as  if  all  the  whispering  and 
gossiping  on  earth  were  done  by  us  women.  Is  that 
polite  and  kind,  Peter  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  I  beg  Mrs.  Jay's  and  Calliste's  pardon,  but  I  only 
made  that  arrangement  of  words  because  of  their  allite- 
ration. I  meant  nothing  more,  dear  Mrs.  Jay,"  address- 
ing that  lady. 

14 


314  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

"  Go  on,  Flavianus.  I  accept  Peter's  explanation  as 
sufficient." 

"  The  figure  our  friend  Peter  has  called  up,  that  the 
air  is  a  vast  library,  I  regard  as  happy,  and  as  such  I 
adopt  it ;  for  there,  in  unerring  characters,  is  written  the 
actions  of  all  men  for  all  time.  There  stands  recorded 
the  earliest  as  well  as  the  latest  sighs  of  mortality,  with 
vows  vmredeemed,  promises  unfulfilled,  perpetuating  in 
their  united  movements  of  each  particle  the  testimony 
of  man's  changeful  will." 

"  What  a  thought  it  is,  Flavianus,"  said  Calliste,  "  that 
our  actions,  however  secret,  are  thus  made  visible  to  the 
universe  of  God !  And  if  this  idea  could  but  be  brought 
home  to  the  business  and  bosoms  of  men,  what  a  change 
would  come  over  the  world !" 

"  How  is  it,  Flavianus  ?"  asked  Faustinus ;  "  can  such 
ideas  be  brought  within  the  scope  of  the  mind  of  man  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  it  has  been  done  by  Mr.  Charles  Babbage,  the 
eminent  mathematician,  in  a  tract  which  he  has  entitled, 
'  The  Ninth  Bridgewater  Treatise ;'  one  of  the  remark- 
able works  of  the  present  century.  Mr.  Babbage  has 
been  the  first  to  present  this  great  truth  to  the  world, 
and  he  has  shown  how  the  principle  of  equality  of  action 
and  reaction  opens  this  vast  treasure  house  of  private 
and  public  history  to  the  inspection  of  all  intelligences." 

"  Will  you  please  explain  yourself  so  that  I  may  appre- 
hend how  this  can  be,  Flavianus  ?"  asked  Mrs,  Jay.  "  I 
desire  to  know  how  Mr.  Babbage  has  made  this  most 


I 


SCENES   m   ANOTHER   WORLD.  315 

occult  of  all  questions  plain  to  the  aj)prelieusion  of  com- 
mon people." 

"  With  all  pleasure,  Mrs.  Jay,"  replied  her  angel. 
"  Mr.  Babbage  begins  by  saying,  '  The  pulsations  of  the 
air,  once  set  in  motion  by  the  human  voice,  cease  not  to 
exist  with  the  sounds  to  which  they  gave  rise.  Strong 
and  audible  as  they  may  be  in  the  iimnediate  neighbor- 
hood of  the  speaker,  and  at  the  moment  of  their  utterance, 
their  quickly  attenuated  force  soon  becomes  inaudible  to 
human  ears.  The  motions  they  have  impressed  on  the 
particles  of  one  ^^ortion  of  the  atmosphere  are  communi- 
cated to  constantly  increasing  numbers,  but  the  total 
quantity  of  motion  measured  in  the  same  direction  re- 
ceives no  addition.  Each  atom  loses  as  much  as  it  gives, 
and  regains  again  from  other  atoms  a  portion  of  those 
motions  which  they  in  turn  turn  up.  The  Avaves  of  air  thus 
raised,  perambulate  the  earth's  and  ocean's  sui'face,  and  in 
less  than  twenty-four  hours,  every  atom  of  its  atmosphere 
takes  up  the  altered  movement  due  to  that  mfinitesimal 
portion  of  the  primitive  motion,  which  has  been  conveyed 
to  it  through  countless  channels,  and  which  must  continue 
to  influence  its  path  throughout  its  future  existence.'  " 

'  N"oAv,  Flavianus,  how  can  Mr.  Babbage  make  such 
statements  as  these  palpable  ?  How  are  these  aerial  pul- 
ses, unseen  by  the  keenest  eye,  unheard  by  the  acutest 
ear,  unperceived  by  the  human  senses,  yet  demonstrated 
to  exist  to  the  reason  of  mankind  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  In  some  few  and  limited  instances  they  are  shown  to 


316  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

exist  by  calling  to  our  aid  the  most  refined  and  compre- 
hensive instrmnent  of  human  thought;  their  courses 
have  been  traced  and  their  intensities  measured.  Let 
us  unagine  a  beiiig  whose  knowledge  of  mathematical 
science  in  the  apprehension  of  Newton,  with  all  his 
enlarged  powers,  is  boundless ;  such  a  mind  could  trace 
even  the  minutest  consequence  of  every  primary  im- 
pulse ;  and  if  the  slightest  deviation  was  discovered,  he 
would  read  ui  its  existence  the  action  of  a  new  cause ; 
and,  through  the  aid  of  the  same  analysis,  tracing  this 
discordance  back  to  its  source,  he  would  become  aware 
of  the  time  of  its  commencement,  and  the  point  of  space 
at  which  it  originated." 

"  I  have  no  doubt,  Flavianus,  all  you  say  is  perfectly 
plain  to  the  intellect  of  Calliste  and  Faustinus,  and  it 
may  be  of  my  friend  Peter ;  but  for  myself,"  said  Mrs. 
Jay,  "  I  confess  I  want  some  familiar  illustration  within 
my  comprehension." 

"  The  waves  of  the  air,"  replied  the  angel,  "  although 
in  many  instances  perceptible  to  the  organs  of  hearing, 
are  only  rendered  visible  to  the  eye  by  peculiar  con- 
trivances ;  but  those  of  the  water,  dear  Mrs.  Jay,  ofier 
the  illustration  of  transmitted  motion  you  ask  for. 
Every  one  who  has  thrown  a  pebble  into  the  still  waters 
of  a  sheltered  pool,  has  seen  the  cii'cles  it  has  raised 
gradually  expanding  in  size,  and  as  uniformly  diminish- 
ing in  distinctness.  He  may  also  have  noticed  the  per- 
fect distinctness  with  which  two,  three  or  more  series  of 


SCENES    m    ANOTIIEK   WORLD.  317 

waves  each  pursues  its  own  unimpeded  course,  when 
diverging  from  the  two,  three  or  more  centres  of  dis- 
turbance. He  may  have  seen,  tliat  in  such  cases  the 
particles  of  water  where  the  waves  intersect  each  other, 
partake  of  the  movements  due  to  each  series." 

"  And  from  these  premises  what  is  your  conckision, 
my  Flavianus  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Jay. 

"  It  is  this :  No  motion  impressed  by  natural  causes, 
or  by  human  agency,  is  ever  obliterated.  If  the  Al- 
mighty stamped  on  the  brow  of  the  earliest  murderer 
the  indelible  and  visible  mark  of  his  guilt,  he  has  also 
established  laws  by  which  every  succeeding  criminal  is 
*not  less  irrevocably  chained  to  the  testimony  of  his 
crime ;  for  every  atom  of  his  mortal  frame,  through 
whatever  changes  its  severed  particles  may  migrate,  will 
still  retain,  adhering  to  it  through  every  combmation, 
some  movement  derived  from  that  very  muscular  effort, 
by  which  the  crime  itself  was  perpetrated. 

"  Let  me  give  you  a  further  illustration.  The  soul  of 
the  negro  whose  fettered  body  surviving  the  charnel- 
house  of  his  infected  prison,  was  thrown  into  the  sea, 
that  his  Christian  master  might  escape  the  limited  justice 
assigned  by  civilized  man  to  crimes  whose  profit  had 
long  gilded  their  atrocity,  will  need,  at  the  last  great 
day  of  human  account,  no  living  witness  of  his  earthly 
agony.  When  man  and  all  his  race  shall  have  dis- 
appeared from  the  face  of  the  planet,  ask  every  particle 
of  air  still  floating  over  the  unpeopled  earth,  and  it  will 


318  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

record  the  cruel  mandate  of  the  tyrant.  Interrogate 
every  wave  which  breaks  unimpeded  on  ten  thousand 
desolate  shores,  and  it  will  give  evidence  of  the  last  gur- 
gle which  closed  over  the  head  of  his  dying  victim. 
Confront  the  murderer  with  every  corporeal  atom  of 
his  immolated  slave,  and  in  its  still  quivering  movements 
he  will  read  God's  denunciation :  ' Thou  art  the  man!' "  * 
They  had  now  reached  the  orbit  of  the  moon,  at  that 
moment  rising  in  the  eastern  skies,  over  the  home  of  Mrs. 
Jay.  At  the  request  of  CaUiste,  they  all  landed  to  see 
that  orb  near,  which  had  been  so  often  looked  upon  by 
her  with  delightful  admiration.  It  was  a  visit  of  interest 
to  aU  our  travelling  party.  Each  had  entertained  his  ok 
her  own  fancies  of  the  surface  of  the  moon.  It  was  a 
waste  indeed,  whose  deep  caverns  and  sugar-loaf  moun- 
tains were  alike  desolate.  Mrs.  Jay  searched  in  vain  for 
those  lovely  beings  described  by  Dante — 

"  Hither  through  failure  of  their  vow  exiled."  f 

As  they  were  about  to  descend  to  earth,  Mrs.  Jay 
most  earnestly  entreated  Calliste  and  Faustinus  to  go 
home  with  her  and  witness  her  child's  marriage,  but  they 
thought  at  such  a  time  she  would  be  embarrassed  by 
their  presence,  and  with  many  expressions  of  love,  they 

*  The  words  of  Babbage  have  been  carefully  copied  without  any  other  change 
than  was  required  to  retain  the  shape  of  a  dialogue.  The  author  has  used  the  se- 
cond London  edition,  printed  1838. 

t  Canto  iii.  "  Paradise,"  line  29,  Carey's  translation. 


SCENES   IN  ANOTHER   WOKLD.  319 

declined.  After  long  lingering,  they  separated,  Faustinas 
and  Calliste  winging  their  way  to  Rome,  and  Flavianus 
and  his  party  to  the  United  States. 

It  was  a  clear,  cold  December  night,  and  the  stars 
shone  with  diamond  brightness.  The  city  now  lay  just 
below  them,  and  its  avenues  and  streets  marked  out  in 
lines  of  light,  and  so  near  that  they  heard  the  bells  strik- 
ing the  hour  of  nine. 

"  We  have  reached  our  place  of  destination  in  good 
time,  my  fi-iends,  and  we  will  now  alight ;"  so  saying, 
Flavianus  descended  to  the  pavement  in  front  of  the 
well-known  residence  of  Mrs.  Jay. 


320  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Wedding  Party  at  Mr.  Jay's — The  Marriage  Guests  enter — Miss  Judith  Grey — 
Mrs.  Fairfield— Mrs.  George  Thomson — Mrs.  Thomson's  Critique  on  "  Old 
Masters  " — Mrs.  Gen.  Wentworth  and  Mrs.  Thomson  discuss  the  late  Mrs.  Jay — 
Colloquy  between  Mrs.  Thomison,  Mrs.  Butler,  and  Mrs.  Griswold,  as  to  the 
presence  of  the  Departed — Mrs.  Thomson's  Opinion  of  the  World  she  lives  in — The 
Story  of  a  Night — Mrs.  Howard  and  Miss  Fairfield — Mrs.  Jay  takes  leave  of  hei 
Husband  and  Daughter — Peter  remains  behind — Discovers  the  Curtains  of  an 
Upper  Room  on  Fire — Fails  to  arouse  Mr.  Jay — He  rushes  into  the  Ball-room 
and  shouts,  Fire ! 

As  our  invisible  guests  entered  the  spacious  hall  of  Mrs. 
Jay,  they  paused ;  for  at  that  instant  Augusta  and  her 
groom,  with  their  attendants,  were  in  the  act  of  descend- 
ing the  grand  staircase. 

"  How  nke  an  angel  of  light !"  exclaimed  Peter. 

"  Oh,  that  she  were  indeed  an  angel !"  replied  Mrs. 
Jay. 

William  started  forward  to  meet  his  sister,  but  Mrs. 
Jay  held  him  back ;  and  when  the  bridal  party  had 
entei'ed  the  splendid  saloon,  Mrs.  Jay  and  her  party 
followed. 

There  stood  the  minister  ui  his  robes,  and  beside  him 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER   WORLD.  321 

the  father,  wh>5e  face  was  beaming  with  benevolence, 
without  one  thought  of  himself,  and  that  he  was  about 
to  give  aw«y  the  chief  of  all  liis  earthly  treasures.  The 
ceremony  proceeded,  and  Mrs.  Jay  expressed  to  her 
angel  her  pleasure  in  lookmg  upon  the  yonng  man, 
whose  bright  eye  was  full  of  intelligence,  while  his  fea- 
tures bore  the  marks  of  culture  and  refinement.  The 
radiant  eye  of  Augusta  fell  upon  the  floor,  and  her  long 
eyelashes  frmged  her  cheek,  while  she  repeated  m  a  low, 
clear  tone  her  vow  of  love  and  fidelity. 

When  the  ceremony  was  concluded,  and  the  bride- 
maids  clustered  around  the  bride,  Mrs.  Jay  and  William 
impressed  then-  kisses  with  fervent  love,  unobserved. 
Indeed,  Augusta  at  this  moment  was  not  able  to  perceive 
any  difference  in  the  kisses  she  received. 

While  the  ceremony  was  in  progress,  the  rush  of  car- 
riages was  heard,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  over,  a  stream  of 
guests  flowed  into  the  rooms,  eager  to  be  presented  to 
the  bride,  and  share  in  the  gladness  of  the  hour. 

Mrs.  Jay  stood  beside  Augusta,  listening  with  dehght 
while  her  numerous  friends  presented  their  congratula 
tions.  As  her  son  had  many  questions  to  ask,  his 
mother's  attention  was  fully  occupied  by  him,  until  call- 
ing Flavianus,  Mrs.  Jay  begged  him  to  supply  her  lack 
of  service  to  William,  as  she  wanted  to  be  at  liberty  to 
move  among  the  crowd  that  now  filled  the  house. 

As  for  Peter  Schleraihl,  he  was  everywhere  and  inter- 
ested in  all  that  was  said  and  done  by  those  about  him. 

U* 


322  THE  GATES  WIDE   OPEN;  OR, 

He  was  especially  attracted  by  a  beautiful  young  lady, 
splendidly  attired,  who,  with  her  husband,  having  made 
their  bows  to  the  bride,  now  came  to  the  spot  where  he 
was  standing.  Those  about  Peter  presented  to  them 
their  congratulations,  and  thus  he  was  advised  that  they 
were  now  in  their  honeymoon.  As  they  passed  onwards,  a 
maiden  lady,  whose  diamonds  bespoke  a  high  rank  in  the 
circles  of  fashionable  Hfe,  turned  to  a  lady  next  to  Peter, 
and  said  in  a  whispered  tone,  "  There  goes  a  foolish  girl, 
who  claims  to  have  married  for  love,  and  counts  the 
sacrifice  she  has  made  of  splendid  offers  as  not  worth  a 
moment's  thought,  I  wonder  that  her  father  should 
have  thrown  away  his  chUd  upon  a  man  of  no  fortune ; 
one  who  has  nothing  but  his  head  to  depend  upon."  In 
reply  to  this  depreciating  remark,  the  lady  replied  she 
thought  if  Mr.  Morgan  had  no  fortune  of  bis  own,  his 
talents  would  create  one  all  in  good  time. 

"  You  are  so  kind  and  so  hopeful,  dear  Mrs.  Fairfield," 
replied  Miss  Judith  Grey ;  "  but  I  think  I  know  some 
fathers  who  would  not  give  up  an  only  daughter  without 
surer  hopes  of  success." 

"  That  life  does  not  consist  in  the  abundance  of  things 
possessed,  we  have  the  highest  authority  for  saying,  and 
the  surest  hopes  are  built  on  integrity,  intelligence 
and  industry."  So  saying,  Mrs.  Faii-field  bowed  and 
passed. 

At  this  moment,  a  lady  of  forty,  wdth  a  handsome  face 
and   a  bright    look,    richly   dressed,    illuminated  with 


SCENES    m    ANOTHEK    WOKLD.  323 

• 

diamonds  came  along,  as  Miss  Judith  stood  w-ith  her 
Hps  compressed,  a  little  vexed  with  the  reproof  conveyed 
in  the  reply  of  Mrs,  Fairfield. 

"  What  a  pity,  Mrs.  Thomson,  you  had  not  come  iip  a 
minute  sooner,  and  you  would  have  heard  Mrs.  Faii-field 
preach  to  me  about  the  vast  superiority  of  worth  over 
wealth." 

"  Pray  what  was  her  text  ?"  asked  Mrs.  George  Thom- 
son. 

"  Henry  Morgan  and  his  bride  ;"  and  then  she  repeated 
what  had  been  said. 

"  What  folly !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  George  Thomson ; 
"and  does  Mrs.  Fairfield  think  to  blind  us  with  such 
common-places  ?  She  can  afford  to  be  sentimental,  but 
let  a  poor  young  man  approach  her  beautiful  daughter, 
and  then  we  shall  see  the  worth  of  all  such  pietistic 
preaching." 

"  I  am  sure  it  does  not  go  for  much  anywhere,  unless 
it  be  at  the  board  of  brokers ;  but  in  the  circles  of  good 
society  up  town,  it  is  in  very  bad  repute."  So  said  Mrs. 
Jonas  Moreland,  a  lady  of  thirty,  who  had  married  an 
old  banker,  and  had  recently  entered  the  upper  circles, 
of  which  she  was  now  forever  talking. 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Moreland,"  replied  Mrs.  George 
Thomson,  "  I  assure  you  it  goes  for  nothing.  Do  I  not 
know  ?  Have  I  not  sounded  all  the  shallows  and  depths 
of  fortune  ?  Born  under  no  kind  auspices,  I  made  the 
most  of  all  the  distinctions  within  my  reach.     I  could 


-  324  THE   GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

not  wait  for  wealth,  and  I  therefore  became  a  pietist, 
and  reached  the  slippery  pinnacle  of  i^erfection.  This 
was  a  pin's-point  to  stand  upon,  but  I  held  it  with  honor 
until  fortune  began  to  smile  upon  us ;  and  then  it  was  I 
fell  from  grace,  just  when  I  was  pluming  my  flight  into 
these  third  heavens." 

"  Oh,  Mrs.  Thomson,  you  are  such  a  funny  person ; 
and  you  say  things  of  yourself  no  one  else  would  ever 
think  of  saying." 

"  No,  Miss  Judith,  I  understand  myself  and  the  peo- 
ple by  whom  I  am  surrounded.  If  we  were  all  in  hea- 
ven the  course  I  take  would  not  be  in  good  taste ;  but 
neither  Mrs.  Fairfield,  nor  any  of  our  up-town  Christians, 
have  any  desire  to  reach  a  higher  position  than  that  they 
now  occupy  for  a  good  Avhile  to  come.  I  imagine  we 
■all  tliink  this  world  of  ours  good  enough  for  us  for  the 
next  twenty-five  years." 

"  Tell  me,  Mrs.  Thomson,  what  did  you  think  of  our 
late  hostess  ;  was  she  not  a  very  proud  person  ?"  asked 
Miss  Judith. 

"  Mrs.  Jay  was  proud.  Miss  Judith,  but  not  haughty. 
It  was  nature-born  with  her.  That  she  was  a  proud 
woman  you  could  see  by  the  glance  of  her  eye,  and  her 
bearing  at  all  times  and  everywhere.  Poor  dear  lady ! 
She  was  very  clever,  and  I  always  admired  her.  But 
she,  too,  had  her  weak  points ;  and  there  is  the  evidence 
of  what  I  say.  Look  at  that  broad  canvas  covered  all 
over  with  brown  paint.     That  was  her  pet  treasure — a 


SCENES    IN    ANOTDER   WORLD.  325 

real  Rembrandt  and  no  mistake.  She  confessed  to  me 
it  could  only  be  seen  in  the  strong  light  in  Avhich  it  had 
been  painted ;  and  by  the  way,  I  can  say  that  very  many 
of  the  pictures  in  our  parlors  are  in  the  same  bad  fix. 
Now  to  see  that  picture,  our  dear  friend  must  have  had 
a  hole  cut  m  the  wall  of  the  house  to  let  daylight  down 
upon  it,  and  so  have  made  the  beauties  of  her  gem  visi- 
ble to  mortal  eyes.  Where  it  now  hangs,  by  no  possi- 
bility can  it  be  told  from  hundreds  of  smoke-dried 
Dutch-made  Rembrandts,  and  other  masters  which 
adorn  the  walls  of  the  palaces  of  our  picture-mad  mer- 
chants, who  are  death  on  all  '  old  masters.' " 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Thomson  !  how  can  you  talk  so  against 
pictures,  when  you  have  as  many  hanging  in  your  par- 
lors as  there  are  here  ?"  said  Mrs.  Moreland,  with  a  tone 
of  astonishment. 

"  I  pray  your  pardon,  madam ;  I  have  pictures,  and 
many  of  them,  but  there  is  not  one  which  needs  a  hole 
in  the  waU  of  my  house  to  let  in  a  j^encil  of  rays  to  make 
it  visible  ;  and  there  is  not  an  '  old  master '  among  them. 
I  like  pictures,  Mrs.  Moreland,  but  they  must  be  paint- 
ings always  pleasing  to  look  upon.  I  have  not  a  Madonna, 
nor  a  virgin  of  any  sort  in  my  house,  nor  a  saint  mth  his 
wrinkled  face  to  stare  down  upon  me,  holding  up  a  skull 
and  crossbones  for  a  perpetual  memento  mori  ;  no,  nor 
will  I  ever  mix  up  incongruous  ideas,  in  words  or  colors, 
in  any  parlor  of  mine  ;  but,  then,  I  am  a  parvenu — not 
trained  to  appreciate  the  Fine  Arts  !    It  may  be  I  nin  all 


326  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

wrong  as  to  my  taste  in  pictures ;  but  in  diamonds  I 
rather  think  I  surpass  some  eminent  persons  who  cannot 
tell  the  difference  between  the  true  and  the  false,  be- 
tween the  paste  and  the  gem.  I  can  tell  the  difference 
blind-fold." 

"  Pray,  how  !  do  explain  this  mystery." 

"  It  is  no  mystery  ;  I  simply  touch  my  tongue  with  the 
so-called  diamonds,  and  my  tongue  tells  me  the  difference 
as  surely  as  my  eye  discovers  the  cheats  I  see  all  about 
me ;"  and  so  saymg,  Mrs.  Thomson  gave  a  look  at  a  dia- 
dem crowning  a  lady  passing  at  the  moment. 

"  I  love  to  hear  you  talk,  Mrs.  Thomson  ;  you  are  so 
brave." 

"  Yes,  and  I  love  to  hear  myself  I  am  always  excited 
pleasurably  when  I  find  myself  surrounded  by  good 
society.  And  yet,  alas !  what  is  it  ?  '  Vanity  of  vanities,' 
as  Solomon  said  of  his  own  age.  Here  we  have  for  leaders, 
pei'sons  of  both  sexes,  sadly  ignorant  of  what  they  most 
affect.  I  love  to  hear  them  talk  superfine.  No  one 
wears  a  more  admiring  look  than  I.  When  these  oracles 
speak  I  am  dumb  ;  no  courtier  can  bow  so  low  as  I ; 
none  assume  a  more  deferential  air,  and,  Miss  Judith, 
like  all  the  rest  of  the  world,  they  love  to  be  admired. 
These  dowager  dames  laugh  at  me  and  talk  of  my  aping 
their  style.  Yes,  I  do  so,  and  they  think  the  better  of 
their  style  because  I  copy  it ;  and  excel  most  of  them  in 
their  own  way  of  manifesting  the  possession  of  wealth." 

Peter  stood  listening  with  all  his  might,  when  Mrs. 


SCENES    IN    ANOTHER    WOKLD.  327 

Jay  laid  licr  hand  on  his  shoulder,  and  roused  his 
attention. 

"  Tell  me,  Peter,  what  do  you  think  of  all  you  have 
heard  ?  Was  not  that  a  just  critique  upon  my  poor 
Rembrandt  ?" 

"  She  is  a  bright  woman,  and  I  like  her,"  answered 
Peter. 

At  this  instant  Mrs.  General  Wentworth  came  up,  and 
bowing  to  Miss  Jiadith  and  Mrs.  Thomson,  and  after  the 
usual  compliments,  said  :  "  This  is  a  very  nice  party,  and 
Mrs.  Jay  would  have  enjoyed  it,  I  am  certain.  How 
much  we  miss  her  bright  beaming  eye,  her  silver  tones 
and  sweet  smiles !" 

Mrs.  George  Thomson  replied :  "  Yes,  madam,  her 
smile  was  beautiftil,  brightened  as  it  was  by  the  adorn- 
ments of  exquisite  taste,  and  reflected  from  all  these 
plate  mirrors  ;  and  I  think  she  appreciated  all  this." 

"  Oh,  no,  Mrs.  Thomson !  Mrs.  Jay  was  superior  to 
such  things,  and  always  preferred  worth  before  wealth." 

"  My  dear  madam,"  replied  Mrs.  Thomson,  "  you  do 
not  know  the  value  of  money.  You  were  born  to  wealth, 
married  wealth,  and  have  all  your  life  long  had  every 
wish  gratified  ;  but  I  may  speak  what  everybody  knows, 
that  my  good  husband  has  aided  me  to  my  present  posi- 
tion. And  let  who  will  talk  lightly  of  the  worth  of  money, 
it  won't  be  me.  And  why  should  it  be  discredited  ?  It 
buys  everything,  shelters  me  in  a  home  like  this,  with  all 
its  appliances  of  comfort — supplies  me  Avith  a  carriage 


328  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OK, 

and  horses  and  servants — I  am  welcomed  at  Stewart's 
with  smiles,  and  the  looms  of  the  world  are  at  work  for 
my  adornment ;  and  last,  not  least  by  any  means,  money 
pays  for  one  of  the  best  pews  in  the  broad  aisles  of  our 
best  churches  up-town,  and  aids  me  to  keep  a  conscience 
void  of  offence.  I  can  afford  to  be  charitable,  and  have 
my  name  as  manager  of  any  number  of  societies ;  and 
when  death  comes  at  last,  I  shall  have  the  consolations 
of  religion  and  the  benefit  of  clergy  ;  and  when  buried, 
my  disconsolate  husband,  before  he  marries  again,  will 
take  good  care  to  erect  at  Greenwood  a  tall  obelisk  or  a 
broken  shaft  with  a  well  written  inscription,  to  keep  alive 
my  many  virtues  in  the  memory  of  the  future  Mrs. 
George  Thomson,  to  whom  my  epitaph  will  stand  as  a 
perpetual  exhortation,  and  my  monument  be  forever  a 
rock  of  offence.  In  one  word,  money  secures  to  us  all 
the  best  things  of  this  life  and  the  fairest  hopes  for  the 
life  to  come." 

"  You  are  positively  shocking,  Mrs.  Thomson,"  cried 
Mrs.  General  Wentworth  as  she  passed  on,  vdih  a  pleased 
look  and  a  tap  of  her  fan. 

Peter,  who  was  interested  in  Mrs.  George  Thomson, 
followed  her,  listenmg  to  her  clever  sayings.  She  passed 
many  ladies  who  ignored  her  presence,  or  who  were  un- 
known to  her.  Two  matrons,  whose  bearing  showed  the 
tmmistakeable  marks  of  high  culture  and  position,  bowed 
to  Mrs.  Thomson;  and  the  three  paused,  when  Mrs. 
Thomson  addressing  the  younger  of  the  two,  said :  "  This 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  329 

mansion,  so  magnificent  and  thronged  with  the  talent, 
intelligence  and  beauty  of  our  city,  is  like  the  palace  in 
the  fairy  tale  ;  it  is  incomplete,  and  why  ?" 

Mrs.  Butler  answered :  "  It  is  so  long  since  I  was 
familiar  with  my  nursery  tales  that  I  do  not  recall  the 
story  you  have  alluded  to ;  but  I  presume  my  reply 
ought  to  be,  what  we  all  feel  to  be  the  great  lack  in  this 
home — the  absence  of  our  beloved  friend,  Mrs.  Jay." 

"  Do  you  not  tliink  she  is  here  unseen  ?"  asked  Mrs. 
Thomson.  "  The  two  worlds  may  be  much  nearer  than  is 
dreamed  of  in  the  philosophy  and  theology  of  our  times." 

"  It  is  possible  our  dear  Mrs.  Jay  may  be  here.  What 
do  you  say,  Mrs.  Griswold  ?"  replied  Mrs.  Butler. 

"  I  have  believed,  that  at  death  we  are  at  once  trans- 
ported outside  of  all  our  present  states  of  feeling  and 
thinking ;  and  in  transcendental  blessedness  cease  to  in- 
quire after  the  concerns  of  this  life." 

"That  cannot  be,  Mrs.  Griswold,"  replied  Mrs.  Thom- 
son. "  Our  identity  is  one,  and  our  '  prevailing  love '  is 
forever  predominant.  All  the  theologies  from  Paul  to 
Swedenborg  teach  us  that.  Now  if  you  knew  the  '  pre- 
vailing love '  of  Mrs.  Jay,  you  can  tell  us  the  emotions  of 
her  heart  had  she  entered  this  room." 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Thomson,  I  am  not  competent  to  look 
beyond  the  present.  I  am  no  Seeress,  nor  do  I  wish  to 
be.  It  is  my  desire  that  her  dear  child  may  follow  in 
the  footsteps  of  her  mother,  and  become  another  Mrs. 
Fry,  and  that  we  may  thus  have  the  mother  restored  to 


330       .  TUE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

US.  Her  visits  to  our  city-prison  wfere  like  angel  visits, 
only  in  this :  they  were  neither  few  nor  far  between." 

"  Oh,  yes !  so  I  have  heard,  Mrs.  Griswold.  Remember, 
madam,  that  Mrs.  Fry  and  Mrs.  Jay  were  both  lovely 
women  of  fine  presence,  and  who  always  dressed  with 
richness  and  a  beautiful  simplicity ;  and  when  they  en- 
tered the  dimly-lighted  wards  of  our  prisons,  they  wore 
the  appearance  of  angels  of  light.  And  I  have  no 
doubt  it  was  a  source  of  pleasurable  satisfaction  to 
them  to  have  done  so.  Indeed,  what  a  sense  of  joy 
must  have  flowed  into  their  souls,  when  returning  to 
their  mansions,  the  wretchedness  they  had  just  left 
behind  them  was  contrasted  with  home  comforts." 

"You  judge  hardly  of  human  nature,  Mrs.  Thom- 
son," said  Mrs.  Butler. 

Mrs.  Thompson  replied,  "  Self-love  and  social  are  the 
same.  In  this  I  am  sustained  by  the  brightest  and  wisest 
of  men." 

Mrs.  Griswold  asked:  "And  do  you  regard  Pope 
and  Rochefoucauld  safe  judges  of  Christian  conduct  ?" 

"  I  could  have  cited  St.  Paul,  ladies ;  but  somehow 
Paul  is  now  regarded  as  a  little  passe  for  our  times." 

"  You  are  very  severe  upon  us,  Mrs.  Thomson,"  said 
Mrs,  Butler. 

Mrs.  Thomson  made  a  low  courtesy  and  said :  •  "  If  I 
may  be  permitted  so  distinguished  an  honor,  I  will  add : 
*  and  upon  myself.' " 

"  You  certainly  have  a  right  to  make  the  application," 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WOEi.D.  .  331 

said  Mrs,  Butler ;  "  but  it  would  hardly  have  been  polite 
for  us  to  have  said :  '  Physician,  heal  thyself.'  " 

"  To  you,  ladies,"  replied  Mrs.  Thomson,  "  I  dare 
speak.  It  is  only  to  those  '  to  the  manner-born,'  I  ven- 
ture to  hold  up  life  as  it  is,  and  not  as  it  fashions  itself. 
The  hollowness  of  our  globe  those  know  best  who  best 
ring  it." 

Mrs.  Butler,  mth  a  smile,  said :  "  You  certainly  have 
your  share  of  the  most  beautiful  rings,  dear  Mrs.  Thom- 
son." 

Mrs.  Thomson,  with  a  laugh,  playfully  held  up  her 
hand  and  flashed  the  Ught  from  her  diamonds,  saying : 
"  Yes,  ladies,  I  have  had  my  ruigs,  and  every  new  ring 
has  helped  me  to  realize  the  hollowness  of  the  world  in 
which  I  live  and  move  and  have  my  being."  So  saying, 
Mrs.  Thompson  bowed  and  was  lost  in  the  crowded 
room. 

"  That  is  a  bright  person,"  said  Mrs.  Butler  to  her 
friend,  "  and  is  destined  to  become  a  leader  among  us ; 
and  I  think  society  will  be  likely  to  advance  under  such 
guidance.  I  met  her  at  Saratoga  last  summer  and  found 
her  a  most  agreeable  person.  She  loves  to  surprise  you, 
and  afiects  to  despise  what  most  she  covets ;  but  she  is  a 
woman  of  tact  and  talent.  We  must  make  her  feel  her- 
self at  home  in  our  social  circles,  and  then  she  will  cease 
to  be  satirical." 

"I  will  call  upon  her  next  week,"  said  Mrs.  Gris- 
wold,  "  and  wUl  send  her  cards  for  my  next  party." 


332  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

The  ball  having  been  opened  by  the  bride,  she  took 
the  arm  of  Mr.  George  Howard,  one  of  the  groomsmen, 
and  returned  to  the  saloons,  where  she  continued  to  re- 
ceive with  grace  and  frankness  the  congratulations  of 
her  guests.  This  young  gentleman  took  the  first  mo- 
ment he  could  secure  to  say  in  a  low  tone  to  the  bride : 
"  This  night  shall  be  made  memorable  to  me  by  a  decla- 
ration of  my  love  for  your  friend  Amelia.  Can  you  so 
far  obhge  me  as  to  detach  her  from  Mr.  Livingston,  w^ho 
has  been  her  shadow  all  this  evening.  I  purpose  to 
have  more  hope  or  none  before  I  leave  this  house. 
What  do  you  advise,  ray  dear  madam  .^"  emphasizing 
her  new  title  to  the  ear  of  the  bride. 

"Action,  action,  action!  Your  admiration  of  my 
beautiful  friend  is  not  imknown  to  her  lovely  self, 
though  it  has  been  so  silent  and  deferential.  This  is 
pleasing  to  us  ladies  to  a  certain  point  of  time;  and 
whether  this  be  the  hour  of  decision  m  your  love  affairs, 
you  must  determine  for  yourself  I  will  aid  you  as  you 
desire." 

Taking  the  arm  of  Mr.  Howard,  the  bride  was  led  up 
to  the  spot  where  Mr.  Livingston  and  Ameha  stood. 
This  Mr.  Livingston  was  regarded  as  '  a  great  catch ;'  but 
in  despite  of  all  well-concocted  plans,  had  as  yet  refused 
to  be  noosed,  and  was  now  approaching  thirty-five,  hav- 
ing changed  the  object  of  his  admiration  mth  every 
season.  This  winter  he  had  shown  a  most  decided 
preference  for  Miss  Amelia  Fairfield,  a  lovely  girl  of 


BCENE8    m    ANOTHliR   WOKLD.  333 

eighteen,  whose  dark  eyes  shone  with  starry  brightness, 
and  her  happy,  bright  laugh  revealed  the  most  beautiful 
teeth  m  all  the  w.orld.  She  was  tall  and  graceful,  and 
her  appearance  on  this  evening  was  singularly  attractive ; 
for  she  was  dressed  with  exquisite  beauty  and  yet  severe 
simplicity.  After  mutual  expressions  of  kind  regards, 
the  bride  said  to  Amelia :  "  Forgive  me,  if  I  claim  Mr. 
Livingston  as  a  truant  from  the  ball-room;  and  I  am 
now  about  to  enlist  him  for  Miss  Jones,  my  beautiful 
bridesmaid  for  the  next  quadrUle,  and  I  will  leave  you, 
Amelia,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Howard." 

Mr.  Livmgston  was  not  pleased,  but  he  affected  to  be 
so,  and  was  led  away  to  the  ball-room,  while  Mr.  How- 
ard with  profound  deference  asked  permission  to  lead 
Miss  Amelia  into  the  conservatory  which  opened  into 
the  parlors.  With  a  consenting  smile  Amelia  took  the 
offered  arm  and  was  soon  hid  from  sight  amid  fragrant 
flowers  blooming  in  mid-winter,  lighted  up  by  shaded 
lamps  which  made  a  mimic  moonlight. 

It  was  a  brief  absence,  when  Peter  who  had  been 
observant  of  all  that  had  passed,  saw  Amelia  and  her 
lover  return  into  the  rooms.  But  what  important 
events  are  crowded  into  a  few  minutes !  The  eyes  of 
Amelia  shone  with  a  dimmed  lustre,  her  cheeks  wore  a 
brighter  color,  and  her  air  was  changed.  The  manners 
of  Mr.  Howard  were  no  less  deferential ;  but  there  was 
a  loving  tenderness  in  his  glance  which  he  had  never 
dared   before.    As  it  was  true    to   nature,   it   did  not 


334  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;   OR, 

oiSend,  though  the  eyes  of  Amelia  fell  beneath  his  gaze. 
This  sweet  embarrassment  was  ended  at  once  by  the 
appearance  of  her  pretty  cousin  Kate,  who  ran  up  to 
her,  saymg :    "  Come,  Amelia,  hasten  to  the  ball-room  in 

time  for  the  next  quadrille.     Mr.  Livingston,  who  is  now 

on  the  floor  with  Miss  Jones,  sent  me  after  you,  and  I 

promised   to   bring   you  as  soon   as  I  could  find  you. 

Where  have  you  been  hid  ?" 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  dance  to-night,  Kate." 

"  Do  not  wish  to  dance,  Amelia!     Did  you  not  intend 

to  dance  ?   In  the  carriage  on  our  way  here,  you  said  you 

would." 

"  Yes,  I  did  so ;  but  I  have  changed  my  mind." 

"  Pray,  cousin,  tell  me,  ai"e  you  indisposed  ?" 

"  Indisposed  to  dance,  Cousin  Kate." 

"  This  is  odd !     What  has  happened,  cousin  ?" 

"  Pray  am  I  not  a  woman  ?"  asked  Amelia,  with  an 

air  of  mock  earnestness;  "-and  have  I  not  a  right  to 

change  my  mind  ?" 

"  Certainly,  cousin ;  but  you  are  not  changeable ;  and 

you  have  either  had  a  quarrel  of  some  sort  with  Mr. 

Livingstone,  or  you  are  iU." 

"  Mr.  Livingston  and  I  parted  just  now,  on  good  terms ; 

and  I  assure  you  I  am  perfectly  well." 

At  this  moment,   Mr,  Livingston  came  up  in  haste, 

and  with  the  air  of  one  who  had  a  claim  to  the  hand 

which  he  took  on  the  instant,  saying,  "  Let  us  hurry, 

Amelia,  or  we  shall  be  one  moment  too  late." 


SCENES    IN   ANOTHER   WORLD.  335 

"I  shall  not  dance  to-night,  Mr.  Livingston,"  said 
Amelia.  "  I  have  this  moment  declined  Mr,  Howard's 
kind  invitation  to  dance  with  him." 

"  I  presmiie  Mr.  Howard  wiU  mthdraw  his  invita- 
tion in  my  favor.  Miss  Amelia,"  said  Mr.  Livingston, 
M'ith  the  air  of  a  man  who  demanded  it  as  a  right  not  to 
be  denied  him. 

Amelia,  Avith  a  tone  of  decision  which  anticipated  any 
reply  from  Mr.  Howard,  said  to  Mr.  Livingston,  "I 
shall  not  dance,  sir." 

"  That  being  a  decree  '  which  changeth  not,'  I  am  re- 
leased fi'om  all  further  attendance  in  the  ball-room. 
Will  you  please  make  my  excuse,  Mr.  Howard,  and  give 
the  bride  the  reasons  for  my  absence  ?" 

This  was  said  with  an  air  of  one  who  wished  to  be  left 
alone  with  Amelia,  and  accordingly  her  cousin  accom- 
panied Mr.  Howard  to  the  ball-room. 

Mr.  Livingston  was  evidently  not  a  little  flattered  by 
this  decision  made  by  Miss  Amelia  ;  for  as  she  well  knew 
his  aversion  to  dancing,  he  regarded  her  declining  of  Mr, 
Howard's  invitation  and  his  own  as  a  gage  d'amour 
which  he  was  in  a  happy  mood  to  take  up.  And  this  he 
did  vrith  all  the  skill  he  could  command,  and  at  the  end 
of  half  an  hour  or  more  he  found  himself  greatly  em- 
barrassed what  next  to  say.  He  had  made  the  most  of 
an  offer  of  himself  that  he  had  ever  before  ventured 
upon,  and  Amelia  had  sho^^Ti  not  the  slightest  comprt-- 
heusiou  of  his  purpose.     "  Did  she  need  him  to  be  jnore 


336  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

explicit,  and  should  he  be  so  ?"  These  were  question- 
ings hard  to  be  answered  in  a  saloon  where  he  was  every 
moment  or  two  interrupted  by  some  teasing  young  lady 
or  far-sighted  matron,  saying,  "  Good  evening,  Amelia ; 
how  cosy  you  are  in  this  snug  corner ;"  or,  "  Mr,  Livings- 
ton you  absorb  Miss  Amelia,  to  the  infinite  misery  of  her 
despairing  lovers."  Weary  of  such  impertinence,  Mr. 
Livingston,  losing  his  patience,  said,  "  I  wish  all  these 
people  were " — AmeUa's  inquiring  look  was  upon  him, 
and  quailing  under  it,  he  added — "at  the  antipodes, 
Miss  Amelia," 

"  I  am  most  grateful  for  their .  attentions,"  replied 
Amelia,  quietly.  Nor  did  she  fail  to  detain  aU  such 
friends  in  pleasant  chat,  until  Mr.  Livingston  could 
with  difficulty  command  Ms  temper ;  so  vexed  was 
he  that  the  exclusiveness  of  attention,  young  ladies 
especially,  had  always  conceded  to  him,  was  now 
denied. 

Men  of  known  wealth  are  apt  to  have  an  imperious 
bearing  of  which  they  may  be  all  the  while  unconscious. 
From  boyhood  they  have  been  accustomed  to  rule  over 
superior  minds,  who,  with  bare-headed  debasement,  bow 
down  before  such  golden  calves,  Mr,  Livingston  was 
among  the  idolized  of  "  good  society,"  and  it  was  all  new 
to  him  to  have  his  attentions  disregarded.  It  had  been 
the  study  of  his  life  to  pay  only  such  civilities,  as,  how- 
ever flattering  to  the  lady  of  the  hour,  were  perfectly 
non-committal.     And  now,   when   he   was  himself  reck- 


SCENES    IN    ANOTirER   WORLD.  337 

less  how  far  he  went,  or  what  foiiii  of  phrase  he  adopted, 
he  found  Miss  Amelia  unaffected  and  utterly  unappre- 
ciative.  Having  exhausted  his  patience,  he  rose  to  leave 
Amelia  as  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fairfield  approached  them,  and 
after  making  his  bows  of  recognition,  he  said  to  Mrs. 
Fairfield,  "  I  am  sorry  to  find  Miss  Amelia  so  much 
indisjioscd  ;  she  will  neither  dance,  talk,  nor  listen  ;"  so 
saying,  he  made  a  bow  to  Amelia  and  her  parents,  and 
addressed  himself  to  a  young  widow  near  by,  who,  having 
laid  aside  her  long  black  veil,  had  just  reappeared  in 
society.  This  lady  was  delighted  with  the  warmth  of 
Mr.  Livingston's  adcCress,  who  expressed  his  pleasure  at 
seeing  her  once  more,  and  thus  it  Avas  he  exploded 
his  resentment,  hopmg  to  pique  Amelia  ;  but  she  stood 
beside  her  parents  with  a  look  of  pre-occupation  and 
imconscioiisness  that  was  truly  provoking. 


Mr.  Howard  returnmg  Avith  Miss  Kate  to  the  parlors, 
led  her  up  to  the  bride ;  and  after  some  pleasant  conver- 
sation, Augusta  requested  her  husband  to  take  care  of 
Margaret  while  she  went  into  the  conservatory  with 
Mr.  Howard. 

"  Shall  I  offer  you  my  congratulations  ?"  asked  Augus- 
ta, as  she  took  a  seat. 

"  Oh,  I  dare  not  tell  you  all  I  hope  for,  dear  madam. 
I  had  some  minutes  with  Amelia,  who  occu})ied  the  same 
seat  you  now  do — it  might  be  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes. 

15 


338  THE  GATES   WIDE   OPEN;   OR, 

I  cannot  say  how  long,  but  I  told  Amelia  all  that  was  in 
my  heart.  The  fountains  of  the  great  deep  were  broken 
up,  and  words  came  full  and  fast.  All  that  had  been 
treasured  up  in  my  soul  for  months  and  years  now  found 
utterance,  and  though  I  felt  my  flight  was  Icarus-like, 
I  was  without  fear." 

"  Grand  !"  exclaimed  Augusta ;  "  and  what  reply  did 
she  make  ?" 

"  Not  one  word,  but  she  listened  without  one  sign  of 
weariness,  and  what  could  I  hope  for  more  ?" 

"  Nothing !  and  you  have  shown  your  true  apprecia- 
tion of  a  woman's  nature  to  be  content  with  this  silent 
acquiescence  of  her  soul.  And  is  this  all  you  have  to 
tell  me  ?  Have  you  not  spoken  with  her  since  ?  That 
was  near  two  hours  ago." 

"  No,  for  Mr.  Livingston  has  had  her  all  to  himself  on 
a  sofa  in  a  corner.  I  have  been  in  and  out  and  around 
to  catch  a  glance  at  Ameha.  She  has  remained  listening 
listlessly  and  rarely  smiled.  He  has  grown  red  in  the 
face  in  talking  earnestly  to  her,  but  what  it  is  he  has 
been  saying  I  have  no  guess  even.  No  young  gentleman 
has  dared  approach  Amelia,  and  you  know  Livingston 
claims  the  entire  attention  of  the  lady  he  is  talking  to, 
and  is  rude  as  a  bear  to  any  one  who  dares  to  interrupt 
his  conversation." 

"  How  skillful  and  wise  love  has  made  you,  Mr.  How- 
ard ?  Let  me  lead  you  to  Amelia,  for  this  bear  will  not 
dare  to  growl  in  my  presence." 


SCENES   IN   ANOTIIEK   WOELD.  339 

"  Thank  you,  deai-  Mrs.  Heury,  for  such  thoughtful 
kindness  as  you  have  manifested  to  me  this  evening." 

"  Oh,  I  have  a  wish  that  AmeUa  shall  have  this  day 
as  conspicuous  ui  her  calendar  as  it  is  m  mine." 

"  How  glad  you  make  me !  and  how  grateful  shall  I 
be  if  your  hopes  and  my  "wishes  are  ever  realized." — So 
saying,  they  left  the  conservatory  and  sought  out 
AmeHa. 

They  found  her  with  her  parents,  who  were  about  to 
go,  and  were  happy  thus  to  take  leave  of  the  bride. 
Augusta  kept  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fairfield  occupied,  giving 
opportunity  to  Mr.  Howard  to  converse  with  Ameha. 
She  had  supplied  him  with  a  beautiful  moss-rose  bud, 
which  he  presented  to  Amelia,  who  admired  it  and  hid  it 
in  her  bosom.  Mr.  Howard  was  delighted,  and  eagerly 
sought  for  one  glance,  but  none  was  given. 

The  parents  took  leave,  and  Peter,  who  had  been  an 
interested  "  looker-on  in  Vienna,"  saw  Mr.  Howard  hand 
Amelia  into  the  carriage.  Returning  to  the  entry,  Mr. 
Howard  held  in  his  hand  a  lady's  glove,  accidentally 
dropped,  which  he  hid  away  carefully  in  his  vest  pocket. 
This  love  affiiir  helped  to  w^hile  away  the  evening  to 
Peter, 

Mr.  Henry  and  his  bride  were  now  receiving  and 
returning  the  salutations  of  departing  guests.  While 
Peter  was  standing  near  the  bride,  gazing  on  the 
scene  before  him,  Mrs.  Jay  came  up  to  him  and  an- 
nounced her  purpose  to  leave.      Peter  begged  her  to 


340  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

stay  until  the  last  guest  was  gone,  but  she  was  impera- 
tive, as  was  her  wont,  and  William  'had  not  a  word  to 
say,  and  as  for  Peter  she  told  him  he  was  at  liberty  to  do 
as  he  pleased. 

"  See,  my  beloved  husband,  Peter !  Look  at  him !  "Was 
ever  such  self-forgetfulness  seen  before !  Can  any  filial 
love  and  duty  repay  him  such  devotedness?  Oh,  that 
he  may  find  like  nobiUty  of  nature  in  his  new-found  son ! 
and  Augusta  too,  vnll  she  ever  forget  to  love  her  father  ? 
If  he  could  but  go  T\dth  us ;  but  alas !  he  must  travel  on- 
wards to  the  tomb  unaided  and  aJone." 

"  You  are  too  distrustful,  dear  madam.  I  \^dll  venture 
everything  on  the  truthfulness  and  devotion  of  your 
child." 

"  Oh,  Peter,  this  is  all  moonshine.  In  the  body,  cus- 
tom, habit,  cares,  losses,  changes  of  place  and  pursuits, 
little  by  little,  steal  away  our  afifections,  and  we  are 
changed.  There's  nothing  but  a  constant  Christian  faith 
can  enable  Augusta  and  her  husband  to  fulfill  the  de- 
mands of  duty  and  self-sacrifice ;  and  how  imperfectly, 
our  own  lives  will  bear  us  witness." 

"  I  have  all  faith  in  Augusta,  and  I  shall  have  to  the 
end  of  life.  Pardon  me,  Mrs.  Jay,  but  do  you  leave  be- 
cause you  have  been  piqued  by  what  you  have  heard 
said  of  you  this  evening  ?" 

"No,  Peter,  not  so.  I  have  been  most  lovingly 
remembered  by  my  friends,  whose  commendations  I  do 
not  deserve ;  and  even  my  faults  have  found  their  ad- 


SCENES   IN   ANOTHER   WOKLD.  34:1 

mirers.  Mrs.  George  Thomson's  admii-able  critique  uj)ou 
my  pet  picture  was  so  true,  that  I  wonder  it  never 
occurred  to  me.  I  hope  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy,  will 
bring  each  and  all  of  these,  my  dear  friends,  neighbors 
and  acquaintance,  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is 
in  Christ  Jesus.  That  they  may  all  repent  of  their  sins, 
and  live  by  faith  of  the  Son  of  God — the  only  Saviour  of 
sinners,  and  the  only  Way  to  Heaven." 

"  So  may  it  be."  answered  Peter. 

"  I  am  about  to  impress  my  last  kisses,  and  to  tear 
myself  away.  You,  Peter,  prefer  to  stay  awhile  longer, 
and  on  your  return  you  will  find  me  somewhere  along 
the  pathway  of  light,  which  renews  to  us  the  life  of  our 
glorious  God  and  Saviour.  "William  and  I  intend  to 
dwell  upon  his  every  look  and  action,  and  to  make  them 
our  most  precious  inheritance.  I  am  sure  you  wiU  feel 
yourself  in  haste  to  join  us  in  this  blissful  study  of  the 
life  of  Christ." 

So  saying,  Mrs.  Jay,  with  lingering  tenderness,  took 
leave  of  her  husband  and  daughter.  Again  and  again 
did  she  renew  her  unfelt  caresses.  Flavianus  made  his 
appearance  in  the  saloon,  and  taking  the  hand  of  Wil- 
liam, said  to  Mrs.  Jay,  "  I  obey  your  will,  madam." 

"  Flavianus,  I  am  grateful  to  God  that  your  love  to 
me  is  to  be  continued  to  my  child.  May  I  soon  be 
restored  to  my  husband  and  my  child,  and  then  will  be 
added  one  more  to  the  company  of  happy  families,  united 
in  the  love  of  Christ,  to  be  separated  no  more  forever." 


342  THE  GATES  WIDE  OPEN;  OR, 

With  "  longing,  lingering  looks  behind,"  Mrs.  Jay  and 
Peter  followed  Flavianus  and  William  into  the  haU,  and 
thence  into  the  street,  Tlie  moon  had  risen  and  was 
walking  in  brightness  above  them.  The  long  row  of 
carriages  showed  that  many  guests  were  stiU  enjoying 
the  pleasures  of  an  evening  party  in  December.  They 
walked  slowly  down  the  pavement,  their  minds  full  of 
the  recollections  of  the  past  and  with  anticipations  of  the 
future,  tin  Flavianus  stopped  on  the  crossing  of  the  next 
street. 

"  Here  we  separate,"  said  Flavianue,  and  after  kind 
adieux,  Mrs.  Jay  and  her  son  and  their  angel  rose, 
and  soon  became  a  mere  point  of  light,  even  to  Peter's 
space-penetrating  vision,  "  as  far  as  angel's  ken,"  and  were 
seen  no  more. 

On  his  return  to  the  house,  and  as  he  was  about  to  go 
up  the  steps,  Peter  chanced  to  look  up,  and  saw  the  cur- 
tains of  an  upper  room  on  fire.  Rising  to  the  height  of 
the  windows,  he  saw  the  sash  had  been  drawn  down 
from  the  top,  and  that  the  curtains  had  blown  free  from 
their  fastening  and  had  caught  fire  from  the  gas-burners. 

Descending  in  a  fright,  Peter  rushed  into  the  saloons, 
and  going  up  to  Mr.  Jay,  he  whispered  in  his  ear  that 
his  house  was  on  fire,  in  the  front  room  of  the  third 
story.  Mrs.  Woolsey  and  son  were  at  the  moment 
taking  leave  of  Mr.  Jay  and  Augusta,  and  he  was  so 
absorbed,  that  he  paid  not  the  least  attention  to  what 
had  been  told  him.     So  soon  as  this  lady  and  her  son 


SCENES   m   ANOTHER   WORLD.  343 

had  Avilhdra^\ai,  Peter  Avitli  all  earnestness  again  tokl 
Mr.  Jay  his  house  was  on  fire  ;  but  in  vain.  Mad  with 
excitement,  Peter  ran  up  the  stairs  into  the  ball-room, 
which  was  still  thronged  with  the  bright  and  the  beauti 
ful,  who  were  waltzing  with  the  bouyancy  of  midnight 
hours.  N"o  sooner  did  one  couple  make  a  vacancy  than 
others  were  ready  to  sweep  across  the  floor.  As  it  was 
the  last  dance,  its  close  had  been  thus  indefinitely  pro- 
longed by  Munck  and  his  band,  so  that  it  had  become 
a  contest  which  should  give  out,  the  band  or  the  dancers. 
Nothing  could  exceed  the  joyousness  and  excitement  of 
the  ball-room  as  Peter  rushed  in,  and  reckless  of  conse- 
quences, having  reached  the  very  centre  of  the  room,  he 
cried  out  with  all  his  might — Fire  I 


It  was  all  a  dream !  no  sooner  Avas  the  word  spoken 
than  Peter  awoke  and  foimd  himself  solitary  and  alone  ; 
the  naked,  barren,  and  wintry  waste  of  life,  shrouded  in 
clouds  and  darkness,  still  lay  untravelled  before  him. 


APPENDIX. 


15* 


MB 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX  A. 

The  following  article  is  taken  from  the  "  Boston  Even- 
ing Transcript,"  June,  1858  : 

THE    H0MAN    RACE, 

When  Mr.  Miller  was  exhorting  our  people  to  be  prepared  for  the 
end  of  the  world,  and  gave  it  as  his  deliberate  opinion  that  "  the  day 
of  judgment  would  be  a  thousand  years,"  I  published  the  follow- 
ing estimate  in  the  "  Boston  Courier  "  (1843),  first  published  in 
the  "  Quarterly  Journal  of  Agriculture,"  London,  and  copied  by 
the  "Albion,"  New  York,  1830.  It  maybe  an  interesting  chapter 
for  the  study  of  your  correspondent,  "  A,"  and  not  an  uninteresting 
one  for  your  readers  : 

"  Increase  of  the  Number  op  Mankind. — On  the  supposition  that 
the  human  race  has  power  to  double  its  numbers  four  times  in  a  cen- 
tury, or  once  in  each  succeeding  ppriod  of  twenty-five  years,  as  some 
philosophers  have  computed,  and  that  nothing  prevented  the  exercise 
of  this  increase,  the  descendants  of  Noah  and  his  family  would  have 
now  increased  (1830)  to  the  following  number  : 

1,496, 511, 696, 626, 844, 588, 240, 573, 268,  '701,4'73,812,12'7,6'74,924,- 

007,424. 

847 


348  APPENDIX. 

The  surface  of  the  earth  contains  of  square 

miles 196,663,355 

Mercury  and  the  planets  contain  about. . . .     46,'790,511,000 
The  sun  contains 2,442,900,000,000 


2,489,887,174,355 

"  Hence,  upon  the  supposition  of  such  a  rate  of  increase  of  man« 
kind  as  has  been  assumed,  the  number  of  human  beings  now  living 
would  be  equal  to  the  following  number  for  each  square  mile  upon 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  sun,  and  all  the  planets, — 61,362,000,000,000,- 
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000  ;  or  to  the  following  number  to  each 
square  inch,  149,720,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000." 

This  last  number  alone  is  infinite  with  relation  to  human  concep- 
tion. Merely  to  count  it  would  require  an  incredible  period.  Sup- 
posing the  whole  number  of  inhabitants  now  upon  the  surface  of  the 
globe  to  be  one  thousand  millions — which  is  believed  to  somewhat 
exceed  the  actual  number — and  supposing  that  this  multitude,  infants 
and  adults,  were  to  be  employed  in  nothing  else  but  counting — that 
each  working  365  days  in  the  year,  and  ten  hours  in  the  day,  and  to 
count  one  hundred  per  minute,  it  would  require,  in  order  to  count 
the  number  in  question,  6,536,500,000,000  of  years. 


APPENDIX    B. 

CRINOLINE  THE  CAUSE  OP  THE  COMMERCIAL  CRISIS  OP  1857. 
MALE    AND    FEMALE    LUXURIES. 

During  the  past  year  the  ladies  of  the  United  States  have  spent  for 
silk  $28,699,681,  for  embroideries  $4,443,176,  for  trimmings  and 
laces  $1,129,754,  for  shawls  $9,246,361,  for  bonnets  and  hats 
$2,246,928  ;  while  the  men  have  wasted  their  substance  in  brandies 
and   hquors,    $3,963,725,    in   wines   $2,381,252,   and    in   cigars  and 


APPENDIX.  349 

tobacco  $5,579,931.    Total  spent  by  ladies,  $36,619,538  ;  by  gentle, 
men,  $11,924,908. 

A    GREAT    LEAK. 

Nothing  can  afford  at  a  glance  a  clearer  insight  into  the  universal 
prevalence  of  luxury  in  the  United  States,  than  the  fact  that  during 
the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30th,  1856,  we  imported  silk  piece  goods  to 
the  amount  of  $25,000,000,  other  silk  goods  to  the  value  of  $6,017,115^ 
laces  $1,601,610,  embroideries  $4,664,353,  making  altogether  over 
thirty-seven  millions  of  dollars.  These  are  the  things  which  run 
away  with  the  wealth  of  the  country. 

ENGLISH   VIEW  OF   AMERICAN   AFFAIRS. 

The  London  "  Times "  makes  the  following  comments  upon  the 
condition  of  things  in  the  United  States  : 

"  The  commercial  panic  across  the  Atlantic  is  beginning  to  lead  to 
a  very  rigid  economic  inquiry^  The  money  is  gone,  and  who  has 
spent  it  all  ?  That  is  the  question.  We  need  not  add  that  the  ques- 
tion is  asked  with  considerable  irritation  and  sharpness  of  tone,  suffi- 
cient to  account  for  any  amount  of  reluctance  in  the  culprit  to  come 
forward  and  confess.  Who  has  spent  all  the  money  ?  The  hue  and 
cry  of  New  York  offers  an  almost  unlimited  reward  for  his  or  her 
apprehension.  Whoever  discovers  the  criminal  will  receive  not  only 
a  pension  of  several  thousand  dollars  for  life,  but  also  a  civic  crown ; 
he  will  be  clothed  in  splendid  apparel,  and  led  on  horseback  through 
the  streets  of  the  city.  All  New  York  is  at  present  busy  in  searching 
for  the  gigantic  spendthrift.  Where  has  he  gone  ?  What  has  be- 
come of  him  ?  Who  saw  him  last  ?  What  train  did  he  leave  by  ? 
Has  he  fled  to  the  Dismal  Swamp,  or  to  California,  or  to  Nicaragua  ? 
Is  he  still  in  the  city,  evading  pursuit  ?  Everybody  is  looking  into 
cupboards,  behind  doors,  uuder  beds,  and  in  all  holes  and  corners 
of  upper  and  lower  stories  to  see  if  he  is  there. 


350  APPEiroix. 

"  When  a  man  becomes  a  bankrupt,  and  cannot  find  out  who  is  to 
blame  for  it ;  when  he  has  decided  that,  of  course,  he  himself  has 
had  nothing  to  do  with  it ;  that  none  of  his  clerks  are  in  fault,  or  the 
post  office,  or  the  government,  or  the  custom  house — ^in  lack  of 
every  other  cause  of  the  smash,  he  turns  round  upon  his  wife — '  Yes : 
now  I  have  got  it.  I  always  thought  it  would  come  to  this.  Now  I 
see  the  consequence  of  having  married  an  expensive  woman.' 

"  This  our  contemporary,  the  '  New  York  Times,'  tells  us  is  the 
general  explanation  given  in  New  York  of  the  recent  convulsion  of 
the  money  market.  Women  are  the  burden  of  conversation,  and  the 
whole  community  is  agreed  that  it  has  married  a  most  expensive  wife. 
All  the  New  York  merchants  are  turning  round  fiercely  upon  their 
domestic  partners  ;  the  extravagant  wives  have  done  it  all — it  is  the 
French  silks,  the  crinoline  and  moire,  the  gloves  and  feathers,  fans 
and  furbelows,  that  have  ruined  them  ;  these  have  taken  the  money 
out  of  the  country. 

"  The  American  merchant's  wife  m«st  return  to  rigid  republican 
simplicity.  One  would  imagine  that  there  was  a  Jonah  preaching 
repentance,  and  that  the  great  American  Tyre  was  going  literally  to 
clothe  herself  with  sackcloth.  There  will  be  allowed  Quaker  bonnets 
alone,  gowns  of  the  plainest  drab  stuff,  shawls  of  the  same ;  those 
wives  of  the  most  opulent  citizens  who  are  permitted  to  use  silk,  will 
have  it  measured  out  to  them  by  the  mayor  and  corporation.  The 
Legislative  Assembly  of  the  State  will  debate  in  the  next  session  upon 
the  subject  of  female  dress,  and,  as  soon  as  a  committee  has  sat, 
examined  witnesses,  and  made  a  report  on  the  annual  quantity  of 
clothing  and  ornament  which  the  commercial  welfare  of  the  com- 
munity can  spare,  the  ladies  will  proceed  to  lay  down  permanent 
restrictions,  which  will  be  a  model  of  sumptuary  wisdom,  and  supply 
an  example  for  the  legislation  of  other  countries  that  may  find  them- 
selves falling  into  mercantile  confusion. 

"  Such  is  the  repentance,  not  of  Nineveh,  but  of  New  York,  and 


APPENDIX.  351 

certainly  it  is  an  instance  of  the  same  sword  that  wounded  healing. 
Money  is  the  corrupter,  and  bankruptcy  is  the  converter. 

"  New  York  now  finds  that  it  has  gone  astray,  that  it  has  departed 
from  the  rigid  simplicity  of  its  Puritan  founders,  and  it  is  anxious  to 
return  to  drab  again,  in  order  that  it  may  get  rich  again.  This  motive 
to  national  penitence  would  not  indeed  have  satisfied  the  prophets, 
and  the  penance  itself  appears  rather  too  vicarious  a  one." 


APPENDIX    D. 

The  follo^Fing  narrative  is  one  of  many  wliich  could 
be  given.  It  is  taken  from  the  writings  of  the  Rev. 
James  B.  Finley,  an  eminent  minister  in  North  Carolina, 
who  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  in  the  year  1781,  and 
became  one  of  the  most -zealous  and  efficient  pioneers  in 
the  missionary  cause  during  the  early  settlement  of  Ken- 
tucky and  Ohio.  He  died  but  a  few  years  since,  at  an 
advanced  age.  He  was  held  in  high  estimation  by 
all  denominations  of  Christians,  and  was  long  known  to 
the  Christian  world  by  the  endearing  name  of  Father 
Finley.  In  his  Autobiography,  page  375,  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  During  my  labors  on  the  Dayton  district,  an  incident  occurred 
which  I  must  relate,  because  it  is  due  to  the  many  to  whom  I  pro- 
mised an  account  of  it,  that  it  should  be  published  in  my  biography. 

"  It  was  in  the  summer  of  1842,  Worn  down  with  fatigue,  I  was 
completing  my  last  round  of  quarterly  meetings,  and  winding  up  the 
labors  of  a  very  toilsome  year.    I  had  scarcely  finished  my  work  till 


352  APPENDIX. 

I  was  most  violently  attacled  with  bilious  fever,  and  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  I  reached  home.  The  disease  had  taken  so  violent  a  hold  on 
my  system  that  I  sank  rapidly  under  its  power.  Everything  that  kind 
attention  and  medical  skill  could  impart  was  resorted  to,  to  correct 
its  ravages ;  but  all  was  in  vain,  and  my  life  was  despaired  of.  On 
the  seventh  night,  in  a  state  of  entire  insensibility  to  all  around  me, 
when  the  last  ray  of  hope  had  departed,  and  my  weeping  family  and 
friends  were  standing  around  my  couch  waiting  to  see  me  breathe  my 
last,  it  seemed  to  me  that  a  heavenly  visitant  entered  my  room.  It 
came  to  my  side,  and  in  the  softest  and  most  silvery  tones,  which  fell 
like  rich  music  on  my  ear,  it  said,  '  I  have  come  to  conduct  you  to 
another  state  and  place  of  existence.'  In  an  instant  I  seemed  to  rise, 
and  gently  borne  by  angel  guides,  I  floated  out  upon  the  ambient 
air.  Soon  earth  was  lost  in  the  distance,  and  around  us,  on  every  side, 
were  worlds  of  light  and  glory.  On,  on,  away,  away  from  this  world 
to  luminous  worlds  afar,  we  sped  with  the  velocity  of  thought.  At 
length  we  reached  the  gates  of  Paradise ;  and  oh !  the  transporting 
scenes  that  fell  upon  my  vision,  as  the  emerald  portals,  wide  and  high, 
rolled  back  upon  their  golden  hinges !  Then,  in  its  fullest  extent, 
did  I  realize  the  invocation  of  the  poet : 

"  '  Burst  ye  emerald  gates  and  bring 
To  my  raptured  vision 
All  tlie  estatic  joys  that  spring 
Round  the  bright  Elysian." 

"Language,  however,  is  inadequate  to  describe  what  then,  with 
unveiled  eyes,  I  saw.  The  vision  is  indelibly  pictured  upon  my  heart. 
Before  me,  spread  out  in  beauty,  was  a  broad  sheet  of  water,  clear  as 
a  crystal,  not  a  single  ripple  on  its  surface,  and  its  purity  and  clear- 
ness indescribable.  On  each  side  of  this  lake,  or  river,  rose  up  the 
most  tall  and  beautiful  trees,  covered  with  all  manner  of  fruits  and 
flowers,  the  brilliant  hues  of  which  were  reflected  in  the  bosom  of 
the  placid  river. 


APPENDIX.  863 

"While  1  stood  gazing  with  joy  and  rapture  at  the  scene,  a  convoy 
of  angels  was  seen  floating  in  the  pure  ether  of  that  world.  They 
had  all  long  wings,  and  although  they  went  with  tl^  greatest  rapidity, 
yet  their  wings  were  folded  close  to  their  sides.  While  I  gazed,  I 
asked  my  guide  who  they  were,  and  what  their  mission  ?  To  this  he 
responded,  '  They  are  angels  dispatched  to  the  world  from  whence 
you  came,  on  errands  of  mercy.'  I  could  hear  strains  of  the  most 
entrancing  melody  all  around  me,  but  no  one  was  discoverable  but 
my  guide.  At  length  I  said,  '  Will  it  be  possible  for  me  to  have  a 
sight  of  some  of  the  just  made  perfect  in  glory  ?'  Just  then  there  came 
before  us  three  persons.  One  had  the  appearance  of  a  male,  the 
other  a  female,  and  the  third  an  infant.  The  appearance  of  the  first 
two  was  somewhat  similar  to  the  angels  I  saw,  with  the  exception 
that  they  had  crowns  upon  their  heads  of  the  purest  yellow,  and 
harps  in  their  hands.  Their  robes,  which  were  full  and-flowing,  were 
of  the  purest  white.  Their  countenances  were  lighted  up  with  a  hea- 
venly radiance,  and  they  smiled  upon  me  with  ineffable  sweetness. 

«'  There  was  nothing  with  which  the  blessed  babe  or  child  could  be 
compared.  It  seemed  to  be  about  three  feet  high.  Its  wings,  which 
were  long  and  most  beautiful,  were  tinged  with  all  the  colors  of  the 
rainbow.  Its  dress  seemed  to  be  of  the  whitest  silk,  covered  with 
the  softest  white  down.  The  driven  snow  could  not  exceed  it  for 
whiteness  or  purity.  Its  face  was  all  radiant  with  glory ;  its  very 
smile  now  plays  around  my  heart.  I  gazed  and  gazed  with  wonder 
upon  this  heavenly  child.  At  length  I  said,  'If  I  have  to  return  to 
earth,  from  whence  I  came,  I  should  love  to  take  this  child  with  me, 
and  show  it  to  weeping  mothers  of  earth.  Methinks  when  they  see 
it,  they  will  never  shed  another  tear  over  their  children  when  they 
die.'  So  anxious  was  I  to  carry  out  the  desire  of  my  heart,  that  I 
made  a  grasp  at  the  bright  and  beautiful  one,  desiring  to  clasp  it  in 
my  arms,  but  it  eluded  my  grasp,  and  plunged  into  the  river  of  life. 
Soon  it  rose  up  from  the  waters,  and  as  the  drops  feU  from  its  expand- 


354  APPENDIX. 

ing  wings,  they  seemed  like  diamonds,  so  brightly  did  they  sparkle. 
Directing  its  course  to  the  other  shore,  it  flew  up  to  one  of  the  top- 
most branches  of  .one  of  life's  fair  trees.  With  a  look  of  most 
seraphic  sweetness,  it  gazed  upon  me,  and  then  commenced  singing  in 
heaven's  own  strains,  '  To  him  that  hath  loved  me,  and  washed  me 
from  my  sins  in  his  own  blood,  to  him  be  glory  both  now  and  forever. 
Amen." 

"  At  that  moment  the  power  of  the  Eternal  God  came  upon  me, 
and  I  began  to  shout,  and  clapping  my  hands,  I  sprang  from  my  bed, 
and  was  healed  as  instantly  as  the  lame  man  in  the  beautiful  porch  of 
the  temple,  who  *  went  walking,  and  leaping  and  praising  God.' 
Overwhelmed  with  the  glory  I  saw  and  felt,  I  could  not  cease  praising 
God.  The  next  Sabbath  I  went  to  camp  meeting,  filled  with  the 
love  and  power  of  God.  There  I  told  the  listening  thousands  what  I 
saw  and  felt,  and  what  God  had  done  for  me,  and  loud  were  the 
shouts  of  glory  that  reverberated  though  the  forest." 


Date  Due 

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813.39        V:875G  249691 


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